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FDA and Cellular Telecommunications & Internet
Association (CTIA) have a formal Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to
do research on wireless phone safety. FDA provides
the scientific oversight, obtaining input from experts
in government, industry, and academic
organizations. CTIA-funded research is conducted
through contracts to independent investigators. The
initial research will include both laboratory studies
and studies of wireless phone users. The CRADA will
also include a broad assessment of additional
research needs in the context of the latest research
developments around the world.
What steps can I take to reduce my exposure
to radio frequency energy from my wireless
phone?
If there is a risk from these products - and at this
point we do not know that there is - it is probably
very small. But if you are concerned about avoiding
even potential risks, you can take a few simple steps
to minimize your exposure to radio frequency
energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much
exposure a person receives, reducing the amount of
time spent using a wireless phone will reduce RF
exposure.
•
"If you must conduct extended conversations by
wireless phone every day, you could place more
distance between your body and the source of
the RF, since the exposure level drops off
dramatically with distance. For example, you
could use a headset and carry the wireless phone
away from your body or use a wireless phone
connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that
wireless phones are harmful. But if you are
concerned about the RF exposure from these
products, you can use measures like those described
above to reduce your RF exposure from wireless
phone use.
What about children using wireless phones?
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to
users of wireless phones, including children and
teenagers. If you want to take steps to lower
exposure to radio frequency energy (RF), the
measures described above would apply to children
and teenagers using wireless phones. Reducing the
time of wireless phone use and increasing the
distance between the user and the RF source will
reduce RF exposure.
Some groups sponsored by other national
governments have advised that children be
discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For
example, the government in the United Kingdom
distributed leaflets containing such a
recommendation in December 2000. They noted
that no evidence exists that using a wireless phone
causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their
recommendation to limit wireless phone use by
children was strictly precautionary; it was not based
on scientific evidence that any health hazard exists.
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