Table of Contents
Advertisement
Safety
an association between exposure to radiofrequency (RF) from cell phones and adverse
health outcomes. Still the scientific community does recommend conducting additional
research to address gaps in knowledge. That research is being conducted around the
world and FDA continues to monitor developments in this field. You can access the
joint FDA/FCC website at http://www.fda.gov (under "c"in the subject index, select Cell
Phones > Research). You can also contact the FDA toll-free at (888) 463-6332 or (888)
INFO-FDA. In June 2000, the FDA entered into a cooperative research and development
agreement through which additional scientific research is being conducted. The FCC
issued its own website publication stating that "there is no scientific evidence that
proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other problems,
including headaches, dizziness or memory loss."This publication is available at http://
www.fcc.gov/cgb/ cellular.html or through the FCC at (888) 225-5322 or (888) CALL-
FCC.
What does "SAR" mean?
In 1996, the FCC, working with the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and
other agencies, established RF exposure safety guidelines for wireless phones in the
United States. Before a wireless phone model is available for sale to the public, it must
be tested by the manufacturer and certified to the FCC that it does not exceed limits
established by the FCC. One of these limits is expressed as a Specific Absorption Rate,
or "SAR."SAR is a measure of the rate of absorption of RF energy in the body. Tests for
SAR are conducted with the phone transmitting at its highest power level in all tested
frequency bands. Since 1996, the FCC has required that the SAR of handheld wireless
phones not exceed 1.6 watts per kilogram, averaged over one gram of tissue. Although
the SAR is determined at the highest power level, the actual SAR value of a wireless
phone while operating can be less than the reported SAR value. This is because the
SAR value may vary from call to call, depending on factors such as proximity to a cell
site, the proximity of the phone to the body while in use, and the use of hands-free
devices. For more information about SARs, see the FCC's OET
Bulletins 56 and 65 at http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Doc
uments/bulletins or visit the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association website at
84
Advertisement
Table of Contents
