99
Although the existing scientific
data does not justify FDA
regulatory actions, the FDA has
urged the wireless phone industry
to take a number of steps,
including the following:
Support needed research into
possible biologicaeffects of RF
of the type emitted by wireless
phones;
Design wireless phones in a way
that minimizes any RF exposure
to the user that is not necessary
for device function; and
Cooperate in providing users of
wireless phones with the best
possible information on possible
effects of wireless phone use on
human health.
The FDA belongs to an
interagency working group of
the federaagencies that have
responsibility for different aspects
of RF safety to ensure coordinated
efforts at the federalevel. The
following agencies belong to this
working group:
NationaInstitute for
OccupationaSafety and Health
EnvironmentaProtection Agency
OccupationaSafety and Health
Administration
NationaTelecommunications and
Information Administration
The NationaInstitutes of Health
participates in some interagency
working group activities, as well.
The FDA shares regulatory
responsibilities for wireless phones
with the FederaCommunications
Commission (FCC). Alphones 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.
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