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Consumer Information on Wireless
Phones
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
has published a series of Questions and
Answers for consumers relating to radio
frequency (RF) exposure from wireless
phones. The FDA publication includes the
following information:
What kinds of phones are the subject of
this update?
The term wireless phone refers here to hand-
held wireless phones with built-in antennas,
often called "cell," "mobile," or "PCS" phones.
These types of wireless phones can expose
the user to measurable radio frequency
energy (RF) because of the short distance
between the phone and the user's head.
These RF exposures are limited by Federal
Communications Commission safety
guidelines that were developed with the
advice of FDA and other federal health and
safety agencies. When the phone is located at
greater distances from the user, the exposure
to RF is drastically lower because a person's
RF exposure decreases rapidly with increasing
distance from the source. The so-called
"cordless phones," which have a base unit
connected to the telephone wiring in a house,
typically operate at far lower power levels,
and thus produce RF exposures well within
the FCC's compliance limits.
Do wireless phones pose a health
hazard?
The available scientific evidence does not
show that any health problems are associated
with using wireless phones. There is no proof,
however, that wireless phones are absolutely
safe. Wireless phones emit low levels of radio
frequency energy (RF) in the microwave
range while being used. They also emit very
low levels of RF when in the stand-by mode.
Whereas high levels of RF can produce health
effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low
level RF that does not produce heating effects
causes no known adverse health effects.
Many studies of low level RF exposures have
not found any biological effects. Some studies
have suggested that some biological effects
may occur, but such findings have not been
confirmed by additional research. In some
cases, other researchers have had difficulty in
reproducing those studies, or in determining
the reasons for inconsistent results.
What is FDA's role concerning the
safety of wireless phones?
Under the law, 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 radio frequency energy (RF) at
a level that is hazardous to the user. In such a
case, 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, 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.
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
•
"Federal Communications Commission
•
"Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
•
"National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
The National Institutes of Health participates
in some interagency working group activities,
as well.
FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for
wireless phones with the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC). All
phones that are sold in the United States
must comply with FCC safety guidelines that
limit RF exposure. FCC relies on FDA and
other health agencies for safety questions
about wireless phones.
FCC also regulates the base stations that the
wireless phone networks rely upon. While
these base stations operate at higher power
than do the wireless phones themselves, the
RF exposures that people get from these base
stations are typically thousands of times
lower than those they can get from wireless
phones. Base stations are thus not the
primary subject of the safety questions
discussed in this document.
What are the results of the research
done already?
The research done thus far has produced
conflicting results, and many studies have
suffered from flaws in their research
methods. Animal experiments investigating
the effects of radio frequency energy (RF)
exposures characteristic of wireless phones
have yielded conflicting results that often
cannot be repeated in other laboratories. A
few animal studies, however, have suggested
that low levels of RF could accelerate the
development of cancer in laboratory animals.
However, many of the studies that showed
increased tumor development used animals
that had been genetically engineered or
treated with cancer-causing chemicals so as
to be pre-disposed to develop cancer in
absence of RF exposure. Other studies
exposed the animals to RF for up to 22 hours
per day. These conditions are not similar to
the conditions under which people use
wireless phones, so we don't know with
certainty what the results of such studies
mean for human health.
Three large epidemiology studies have been
published since December 2000. Between
them, the studies investigated any possible
association between the use of wireless
phones and primary brain cancer, glioma,
meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, tumors of
the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other
cancers. None of the studies demonstrated
the existence of any harmful health effects
from wireless phones RF exposures. However,
none of the studies can answer questions
about long-term exposures, since the average
period of phone use in these studies was
around three years.
What research is needed to decide
whether RF exposure from wireless
phones poses a health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and
epidemiological studies of people actually
using wireless phones would provide some of
the data that are needed. Lifetime animal
exposure studies could be completed in a few
years. However, very large numbers of
animals would be needed to provide reliable
proof of a cancer promoting effect if one
exists. Epidemiological studies can provide
data that is directly applicable to human
populations, but ten or more years' follow-up
may be needed to provide answers about
some health effects, such as cancer. This is
because the interval between the time of
exposure to a cancer-causing agent and the
time tumors develop - if they do - may be
many, many years. The interpretation of
epidemiological studies is hampered by
difficulties in measuring actual RF exposure
during day-to-day use of wireless phones.
Many factors affect this measurement, such
as the angle at which the phone is held, or
which model of phone is used.
What is FDA doing to find out more
about the possible health effects of
wireless phone RF?
FDA is working with the U.S. National
Toxicology Program and with groups of
investigators around the world to ensure that
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