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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
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