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Health and safety information
10. 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 10 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.
11. Which other federal agencies have responsibilities
related to potential RF health effects?
Additional information on the safety of RF exposures from
various sources can be obtained from the following
organizations.
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FCC RF Safety Program:
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/
Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA):
http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/
index.html
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH):
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/
World health Organization (WHO):
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection:
http://www.icnirp.de
Health Protection Agency (UK)
http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/
* US Food and Drug Administration http://www.fda.gov/cellphones
*
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