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exposure to radiofrequency
energy (RF), the measures
described above would apply to
children and teenagers using
wireless phones. Reducing the
time of wireless phone use and
increasing the distance between
the user and the RF source will
reduce RF exposure.
Some groups sponsored by
other national governments
have advised that children
be discouraged from using
wireless phones at all. For
example, the government in
the United Kingdom distributed
leaflets containing such a
recommendation in December
2000. They noted that no
evidence exists that using a
wireless phone causes brain
tumors or other ill effects. Their
recommendation to limit wireless
phone use by children was
strictly precautionary; it was not
based on scientific evidence that
any health hazard exists.
11. What about wireless
phone interference with
medical equipment?
Radiofrequency energy (RF)
from wireless phones can
interact with some electronic
devices. For this reason, the
FDA helped develop a detailed
test method to measure
electromagnetic interference
(EMI) of implanted cardiac
pacemakers and defibrillators
from wireless telephones.
This test method is now part
of a standard sponsored
by the Association for the
Advancement of Medical
instrumentation (AAMI).
The final draft, a joint effort
by the FDA, medical device
manufacturers, and many
other groups, was completed
in late 2000. This standard will
allow manufacturers to ensure
that cardiac pacemakers and
defibrillators are safe from
wireless phone EMI. The FDA
Safety Guidelines