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are used against the head or against the body. Either
configuration should result in compliance with the
safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that claim to
shield the head from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF
emissions from wireless phones, there is no reason to
believe that accessories that claim to shield the head
from those emissions reduce risks. Some products that
claim to shield the user from RF absorption use special
phone cases, while others involve nothing more than a
metallic accessory attached to the phone. Studies have
shown that these products generally do not work as
advertised. Unlike "hand-free" kits, these so-called
"shields" may interfere with proper operation of the
phone. The phone may be forced to boost its power to
compensate, leading to an increase in RF absorption. In
February 2002, the Federal trade Commission (FTC)
charged two companies that sold devices that claimed
to protect wireless phone users from radiation with
making false and unsubstantiated claims. According to
FTC, these defendants lacked a reasonable basis to
substantiate their claim.
What about wireless phone interference with
medical equipment?
Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can
interact with some electronic devices. For this reason,
FDA helped develop a detailed test method to measure
electromagnetic interference (EMI) of implanted cardiac
pacemakers and defibrillators from wireless telephones.
This test method is now part of a standard sponsored
by the Association for the Advancement of Medical
instrumentation (AAMI). The final draft, a joint effort by
FDA, medical device manufacturers, and many other
groups, was completed in late 2000. This standard will
allow manufacturers to ensure that cardiac pacemakers
and defibrillators are safe from wireless phone EMI. FDA
has tested wireless phones and helped develop a
voluntary standard sponsored by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). This
standard specifies test methods and performance
requirements for hearing aids and wireless phones so
that no interference occurs when a person uses a
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