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FDA Update on mobile phone safety
safety. The agency has recom-
• Federal Communications
mended that the industry:
Commission
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Support needed research into
Administration
possible biological effects of RF of
the type emitted by mobile
• National Telecommunications and
phones;
Information Administration
• Design mobile phones in a way
The National Institutes of Health
that minimizes any RF exposure to
also participates in this group.
the user that is not necessary for
device function; and
• Cooperate in providing mobile
phone users with the best possible
information on what is known
about possible effects of mobile
phone use on human health.
At the same time, FDA belongs
to an interagency working group of
the federal agencies that have
responsibility for different aspects
of mobile phone safety to ensure a
coordinated effort at the federal
level. These agencies are:
• National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health
• Environmental Protection Agency
In the absence of conclusive
sure level drops off dramatically
information about any possible
with distance. For example, they
risk, what can concerned indi-
could switch to
viduals do?
• A mobile phone in which the
If there is a risk from these prod-
antenna is located outside the vehi-
ucts—and at this point we do not
cle,
know that there is—it is probably
very small. But if people are con-
• A hand-held phone with a built-in
cerned about avoiding even poten-
antenna connected to a different
tial risks, there are simple steps
antenna mounted on the outside of
they can take to do so.
the car or built into a separate
For example, time is a key factor
package, or
in how much exposure a person
• A headset with a remote antenna
receives. Those persons who
to a mobile phone carried at the
spend long periods of time on their
waist.
hand-held mobile phones could
consider holding lengthy conversa-
Where can I find additional infor-
tions on conventional phones and
mation?
reserving the hand-held models for
For additional information, see the
shorter conversations or for situa-
following websites:
tions when other types of phones
are not available.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) RF Safety
People who must conduct ex-
Program (select "Information on
tended conversations in their cars
every day could switch to a type of
Human Exposure to RF Fields from
mobile phone that places more dis-
Cellular and PCS Radio
tance between their bodies and the
Transmitters"):
source of the RF , since the expo-
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety.
World Health Organization (WHO)
1) Muscat et al. Epidemiological
International Commission on Non-
Study of Cellular Telephone Use
Ionizing Radiation Protection (select
and Malignant Brain Tumors. In:
Qs & As): http://www.who.int/emf
State of the Science Symposium;
1999 June 20; Long Beach,
United Kingdom, National
California.
Radiological Protection Board:
http://www.nrpb.org.uk
2) Tice et al. Tests of mobile phone
signals for activity in genotoxicity
Cellular Telecommunications
and other laboratory assays. In:
Industry Association (CTIA):
Annual Meeting of the
http://www.wow-com.com
Environmental Mutagen Society;
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
March 29, 1999, Washington, DC;
(FDA) Center for devices and
and personal communication,
Radiological Health:
unpublished results.
Http://www.fda.gov/cdhr/consumer/
3) Preece, AW, Iwi, G, Davies-
Smith, A, Wesnes, K, Butler, S, Lim,
E, and Varey, A. Effect of a 915-
MHz simulated mobile phone sig-
nal on cognitive function in man.
Int. J. Radiat. Biol., April 8, 1999.
4) Hardell, L, Nasman, A, Pahlson,
A, Hallquist, A and Mild, KH. Use of
cellular telephones and the risk for
brain tumors; a case-control study.
Int. J. Oncol, 15: 113-116, 1999.
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