Table of Contents
Advertisement
any individual's cancer arose because of the phone,
or whether it would have happened anyway. A key
question is whether the risk of getting a particular
form of cancer is greater among people who use
mobile phones than among the rest of the
population. One way to answer that question is to
compare the usage of mobile phones among people
with brain cancer with the use of mobile phones
among appropriately matched people without brain
cancer. This is called a case-control study. The
current case-control study of brain cancers by the
National Cancer Institute, as well as the follow-up
research to be sponsored by industry, will begin to
generate this type of information.
What is FDA's role concerning the safety of
mobile phones?
Under the law, FDA does not review the safety of
radiation-emitting consumer products such as
mobile phones before marketing, as it does with new
drugs or medical devices. However, the agency has
authority to take action if mobile phones are shown
to emit radiation at a level that is hazardous to the
user. In such a case, FDA could require the
manufacturers of mobile phones to notify users of
the health hazard and to repair, replace or recall the
phones so that the hazard no longer exists. Although
the existing scientific data do not justify FDA
regulatory actions at this time, FDA has urged the
mobile phone industry to take a number of steps to
assure public safety. The agency has recommended
that the industry:
•
support needed research into possible biological
effects of RF of the type emitted by mobile
phones;
•
Design mobile phones in a way that minimizes
any RF exposure to the user that is not necessary
for device function; and
•
cooperate in providing mobile phone users with
the best possible information on what is known
about possible effects of mobile phone use on
human health.
At the same time, FDA belongs to an interagency
working group of the federal agencies that have
responsibility for different aspects of mobile phone
safety to ensure a coordinated effort at the federal
level. These agencies are:
•
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health
•
Environmental Protection Agency
•
Federal Communications Commission
•
Occupational Health and Safety Administration
•
National Telecommunications and Information
Administration
The National Institute of Health also participates in
this group.
In the absence of conclusive information about any
possible risk, what can concerned individuals do?
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 people are concerned about
avoiding even potential risks, there are simple steps
they can take to do so. For example, time is a key
factor in how much exposure a person receives.
Those persons who spend long periods of time on
177
Sendo X User Guide
Advertisement
Table of Contents
