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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
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
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