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Health and safety information
configuration should result in compliance
with the safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that
claim to shield the head from RF
radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from
exposure to RF emissions from wireless
phones, there is no reason to believe that
accessories that claim to shield the head
from those emissions reduce risks. Some
products that claim to shield the user from
RF absorption use special phone cases, while
others involve nothing more than a metallic
accessory attached to the phone. Studies
have shown that these products generally do
not work as advertised. Unlike "hand-free"
kits, these so-called "shields" may interfere
with proper operation of the phone. The
phone may be forced to boost its power to
compensate, leading to an increase in RF
absorption. In February 2002, the Federal
trade Commission (FTC) charged two
companies that sold devices that claimed to
protect wireless phone users from radiation
with making false and unsubstantiated
claims. According to FTC, these defendants
122
lacked a reasonable basis to substantiate
their claim.
What about wireless phone
interference with medical equipment?
Radio frequency 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 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
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