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base unit connected to the telephone wiring in a house, typically operate
at far lower power levels, and thus produce RF exposures far below the
FCC safety limits.
4. What are the results of the research done already?
The research done thus far has produced conflicting results, and many
studies have suffered from flaws in their research methods. Animal
experiments investigating the effects of radiofrequency energy (RF)
exposures characteristic of wireless phones have yielded conflicting results
that often cannot be repeated in other laboratories.
A few animal studies, however, have suggested that low levels of RF could
accelerate the development of cancer in laboratory animals.
However, many of the studies that showed increased tumor development
used animals that had been genetically engineered or treated with
cancer-causing chemicals so as to be predisposed to develop cancer in the
absence of RF exposure.
Other studies exposed the animals to RF for up to 22 hours per day. These
conditions are not similar to the conditions under which people use
wireless phones, so we don't know with certainty what the results of such
studies mean for human health.
Three large epidemiology studies have been published since December 2000.
Between them, the studies investigated any possible association between
the use of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma, meningioma,
or acoustic neu-roma, tumors of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia,
or other cancers. None of the studies demonstrated the existence of any
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harmful health effects from wireless phone RF exposures. However, none
of the studies can answer questions about long-term exposures, since the
average period of phone use in these studies was around three years.
5. 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.
6. What is FDA doing to find out more about the
possible health effects of wireless phone RF?
FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology Program and with
groups of investigators around the world to ensure that high priority
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