6 . W h a t is the FDA doing to find out more about the
p o s s i ble health effects of wireless phone RF?
The FDA is wo r king with the U. S. National Tox i c o l o gy
P r ogram and with groups of inve s t i g at o r s around the
wo rld to ensure that high pri o r ity animal studies are
conducted to add ress important questions about the
e ffects of ex p o s u re to ra d i o f re q u e n c y energy (RF).
The FDA has been a leading participant in the Wo rl d
Health Orga n i z ation Intern a tional Electro m a gnetic Fi e l d s
(EMF) Project since its inception in 1996. An infl u e n t i a l
result of this wo r k has been the development of a detailed
agenda of re s e a r ch needs that has driven the
e s t ablishment of new re s e a r ch programs around the
wo rl d . The project has also helped develop a series of
p u b lic info rm ation documents on EMF issues.
The FDA and the Cellular Te l e c o m mu n i c ations &
I n t e r net A s s o c i ation (CTIA) have a fo r mal Cooperat ive
R e s e a rch and Development A greement (CRADA) to do
re s e a r ch on wireless phone safe t y. The FDA provides the
s c i e n t i fic ove rs i g h t , obtaining input from ex p e r ts in
gove rn m e n t ,i n d u s t r y,and academic orga n i z at i o n s .
CTIA-funded re s e a r ch is conducted through contra c t s
with independent inve s t i g at o rs. The initial re s e a r ch will
i n c lude both lab o r at o r y studies and studies of wire l e s s
phone users. The CRADA will also include a bro a d
assessment of additional re s e a rch needs in the context of
the latest re s e a r ch developments around the wo rl d.
7 . H o w can I find out how mu c h radio fre q u e n c y energy
ex p o s u r e I can get by using my wireless phone?
All phones sold in the United States must comply with
Fe d e r al Commu n i c ations Commission (FCC) guidelines
t h a t limit radio fre q u e n cy energy (RF) ex p o s u r es. Th e
FCC established these guidelines in consultation with the
F DA and the other fe d e r al health and safety agencies. Th e
FCC limit for RF ex p o s u r e from wireless telephones is set
122 Safety guidelines
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