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10. What about children using wireless phones?
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to users of wireless phones, including children and
teenagers. If you want to take steps to lower exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF), the measures
described above would apply to children and teenagers using wireless phones. Reducing the time of
wireless phone use and increasing the distance between the user and the RF source will reduce RF
exposure. Some groups sponsored by other national governments have advised that children be
discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For example, the government in the United Kingdom
distributed leaflets containing such a recommendation in December 2000. They noted that no evidence
exists that using a wireless phone causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their recommendation to limit
wireless phone use by children was strictly precautionary; it was not based on scientific evidence that any
health hazard exists.
11. What about wireless phone interference with medical equipment?
Radiofrequency 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 hearing aids for interference from handheld 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 that no
interference occurs when a person uses a "compatible" phone and a "compatible" hearing aid at the same
time. This standard was approved by the IEEE in 2000.
FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possible interactions with other medical devices.
Should harmful interference be found to occur, FDA will conduct testing to assess the interference and
work to resolve the problem.
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12. Where can I find additional information? For additional information, please refer
to the following resources:
- FDA web page on wireless phones:
(http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/phones/index.html)
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) RF Safety
Program: (http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety)
- International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection:
(http://www.icnirp.de)
- World Health Organization (WHO) International EMF Project:
(http://www.who.int/emf)
- National Radiological Protection Board (UK):
(http://www.nrpb.org.uk/)
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