U.S. FDA99
Abeen done to address these ques-
tions, no clear picture of the biologi-
cal effects of this type of radiation
has emerged to date. Thus, the avail-
able science does not allow us to
The U.S. Food and Drug conclude that mobile phones are ab-
Administration's (FDA) Center solutely safe, or that they are unsafe.
for Devices and Radiological However, the available scientific evi-
Health Consumer Update on dence does not demonstrate ad-
verse health effects associated with
Mobile Phones
the use of mobile phones.
FDA has been receiving inquiries
What kinds of phones are in question?
about the safety of mobile phones, Questions have been raised about
including cellular phones and PCS
phones. The following summarizes hand-held mobile phones, the kind
that have a built-in antenna that is
what is know ? and what remains
unknown ? about whether these positioned close to the user's head
products can pose a hazard to during normal telephone conversa-
tion. These types of mobile phones
health, and what can be done to
minimize any potential risk. This in-are of concern because of the short
distance between the phone's an-
formation may be used to respond
to questions.tenna ? the primary source of the
RF ? and the person's head. The ex-
Why the concern?posure to RF from mobile phones in
Mobile phones emit low levels of ra-which the antenna is located at
dio frequency energy (i.e., radio fre-greater distances from the user (on
quency radiation) in the microwave the outside of a car, for example) is
range while being used. They also drastically lower than that from
emit very low levels of radio frequen-hand-held phones, because a per-
cy energy (RF), considered non-sig-son's RF exposure decreases rapidly
nificant, when in the stand-by mode. with distance from the source. The
It is well known that high levels of RF safety of so-called ?cordless phones,?
can produce biological damage which have a base unit connected to
through heating effects (this is how the telephone wiring in a house and
your microwave oven is able to cook which operate at far lower power
food). However, it is not known levels and frequencies, has not been
whether, to what extent, or through questioned.
what mechanism, lower levels of RF
might cause adverse health effects
as well. Although some research has |
ACEC
