For Your Safety 136
6. What is the FDA doing to find out more about the possible
health effects of wireless phone RF?
The FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology Program and with groups
of investigators around the world to ensure that high priority animal studies
are conducted to address important questions about the effects of exposure
to Radio Frequency (RF) energy.
The FDA has been a leading participant in the World Health Organization
International Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in
1996. An influential result of this work has been the development of a
detailed agenda of research needs that has driven the establishment of new
research programs around the world. The project has also helped develop
a series of public information documents on EMF issues. The FDA and the
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) have a formal
Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) to do research
on wireless phone safety. The FDA provides the scientific oversight, obtaining
input from experts in government, industry, and academic organizations.
CTIA-funded research is conducted through contracts with 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.
7. How can I find out how much Radio Frequency energy
exposure I can get by using my wireless phone?
All phones sold in the United States must comply with Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines that limit Radio Frequency
(RF) energy exposures. The FCC established these guidelines in consultation
with the FDA and the other federal health and safety agencies. The FCC limit
for RF exposure from wireless phones is set at a Specific Absorption Rate
(SAR) of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The FCC limit is consistent with
the safety standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering (IEEE) and the National Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurement. The exposure limit takes into consideration the body’s ability
to remove heat from the tissues that absorb energy from the wireless phone
and is set well below levels known to have effects. Manufacturers of wireless
phones must report the RF exposure level for each model of phone to the
FCC. The FCC website (
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety
) gives directions for
