SAFETY AND
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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.
11. What about wireless phone
interference with medical equipment?
Radiofrequency 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).
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FDA CONSUMER
UPDATE
FDA CONSUMER
UPDATE
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 hearing aids
for interference from handheld wireless
phones and helped develop a voluntary
standard sponsored by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
This standard specifies test methods and
performance requirements for hearing
aids and wireless phones so that that
no interference occurs when a person
uses a "compatible" phone and a
"compatible" hearing aid at the same
time. This standard was approved by the
IEEE in 2000. FDA continues to monitor
the use of wireless phones for possible
interactions with other medical devices.
Should harmful interference be found to
occur, FDA will conduct testing to assess
the interference and work to resolve the
problem.
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