Table of Contents
Advertisement
Under the law, the FDA does not review the safety of radiation-
emitting consumer products such as wireless phones before they
can be sold, as it does with new drugs or medical devices. However,
the agency has authority to take action if wireless phones are shown
to emit radiofrequency energy (RF) at a level that is hazardous to the
user. In such a case, the FDA could require the manufacturers of
wireless phones to notify users of the health hazard and to repair,
replace, or recall the phones so that the hazard no longer exists.
Although the existing scientific data do not justify FDA regulatory
actions, the FDA has urged the wireless phone industry to take a
number of steps, including the following:
• Support needed research into possible biological effects of RF of
the type emitted by wireless phones;
• Design wireless phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure
to the user that is not necessary for device function; and
• Cooperate in providing users of wireless phones with the best
possible information on possible effects of wireless phone use on
human health.
The FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the federal
agencies that have responsibility for different aspects of RF safety to
ensure coordinated efforts at the federal level. The following
agencies belong to this working group:
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration
99
Advertisement
Table of Contents
