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FDA Update
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center
for Devices and Radiological Health Consumer
Update on Mobile Phones
FDA has been receiving inquiries about the safety of
mobile phones, including cellular phones and PCS
phones. The following summarizes what is
known—and what remains unknown—about
whether these products can pose a hazard to health,
and what can be done to minimize any potential
risk. This information may be used to respond to
questions.
Why the concern?
Mobile phones emit low levels of radiofrequency
energy (i.e., radiofrequency radiation) in the
microwave range while being used. They also emit
very low levels of radiofrequency energy (RF),
considered non-significant, when in the stand-by
mode. It is well known that high levels of RF can
produce biological damage through heating effects
(this is how your microwave oven is able to cook
food). However, it is not known whether, to what
extent, or through what mechanism, lower levels of
RF might cause adverse health effects as well.
Although some research has been done to address
these questions, no clear picture of the biological
effects of this type of radiation has emerged to date.
Thus, the available science does not allow us to
conclude that mobile phones are absolutely safe, or
that they are unsafe. However, the available
scientific evidence does not
demonstrate any
adverse health effects associated with the use of
mobile phones.
ST3000.01Book Page 97 Wednesday, March 8, 2000 2:32 PM
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