Safety
FDA Consumer Update
The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration’s
Center for Devices and
Radiological Health Consumer
Update on Mobile Phones:
1. Do wireless phones pose a health hazard?
| The available scientific evidence | |
| does not show that any health | |
| problems are associated with | |
| using wireless phones. There is | |
| no proof, however, that wireless | |
S a | phones are absolutely safe. | |
f e | Wireless phones emit low levels | |
ty | ||
of radiofrequency energy (RF) in | ||
| ||
| the microwave range while being | |
| ||
| used. They also emit very low | |
| levels of RF when in the Main | |
| Menu Screen. Whereas high | |
| levels of RF can produce health | |
| effects (by heating tissue), | |
| exposure to low level RF that | |
| does not produce heating effects |
causes no known adverse health effects. Many studies of low level RF exposures have not found any biological effects. Some studies have suggested that some biological effects may occur, but such findings have not been confirmed by additional research. In some cases, other researchers have had difficulty in reproducing those studies, or in determining the reasons for inconsistent results.
2.What is the FDA's role concerning the safety of wireless phones?
Under the law, the FDA does not review the safety of radiation- emitting consumer products such as wireless phones before they can be sold, as it does with new drugs or medical devices. However, the agency has authority to take action if
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