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TheFDAbelongstoaninteragencyworking
groupofthefederalagenciesthathave
responsibilityfordifferentaspectsofRFsafety
toensurecoordinatedeffortsatthefederal
level.Thefollowingagenciesbelongtothis
workinggroup:
• NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafety
andHealth
• EnvironmentalProtectionAgency
• OccupationalSafetyandHealth
Administration
•
NationalTelecommunicationsand
InformationAdministration
TheNationalInstitutesofHealthparticipates
insomeinteragencyworkinggroupactivities,
aswell.
TheFDAsharesregulatoryresponsibilities
forwirelessphoneswiththeFederal
CommunicationsCommission(FCC).All
phonesthataresoldintheUnitedStatesmust
complywithFCCsafetyguidelinesthatlimit
RFexposure.TheFCCreliesontheFDAand
otherhealthagenciesforsafetyquestions
aboutwirelessphones.
TheFCCalsoregulatesthebasestationsthat
thewirelessphonenetworksrelyupon.While
thesebasestationsoperateathigherpower
thandothewirelessphonesthemselves,the
RFexposuresthatpeoplegetfromthesebase
stationsaretypicallythousandsoftimeslower
thanthosetheycangetfromwirelessphones.
Basestationsarethusnotthesubjectofthe
safetyquestionsdiscussedinthisdocument.
3. What kinds of phones are the subject
of this update?
Theterm“wirelessphone”refershereto
handheldwirelessphoneswithbuilt-in
antennas,oftencalled“cell”,“mobile”,or
“PCS”phones.Thesetypesofwirelessphones
canexposetheusertomeasurableRadio
Frequency(RF)energybecauseoftheshort
distancebetweenthephoneandtheuser’s
head.
TheseRFexposuresarelimitedbyFCCsafety
guidelinesthatweredevelopedwiththe
adviceoftheFDAandotherfederalhealthand
safetyagencies.Whenthephoneislocatedat
greaterdistancesfromtheuser,theexposure
toRFisdrasticallylowerbecauseaperson’s
RFexposuredecreasesrapidlywithincreasing
distancefromthesource.Theso-called
“cordlessphones,”whichhavea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.
For Your Safety