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Safety
FDA and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association
(CTIA) have a formal Cooperative Research and Development
Agreement (CRADA) to do research on wireless phone s afety.
FDA provides the scientific oversight, obtaining input from experts
in government, industry, and academic organizations. CTIA-
funded research is conducted through contracts to independent
investigators. The initial research will include both laboratory studies
and studies of wireless phone users.
The CRADA will also include a broad assessment of additio nal
research needs in the context of the latest research developments
around the world.
What steps can I take to reduce my exp osure to radiofrequency energy from my wireless phone?If there is a risk from these products—and at this point we do n ot
know that there is—it is probably very small.
But if you are concerned about avoiding even potential risks, you can
take a few simple steps to minimize your exposure to radiofrequency
energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much exposure a
person receives, reducing the amount of time spent using a wirele ss
phone will reduce RF exposure.
If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless pho ne
every day, you could place more distance between your body and
the source of the RF, since the exposure level drops off dramatically
with distance. For example, you could use a headset and carr y
the wireless phone away from your body or use a wireles s phone
connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wireless ph ones
are harmful. But if you are concerned about the R F exposure from
these products, you can use measures like those described ab ove to
reduce your RF exposure from wireless phone use.
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