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What is FDA's role concerning the safety of mobile phones?
Under the law, FDA does not review the safety of
radiation-emitting consumer products such as
mobile phones before marketing, as it does with
new drugs or medical devices. However, the
agency has authority to take action if mobile
phones are shown to emit radiation at a level that is
hazardous to the user. In such a case, FDA could
require the manufacturers of mobile phones to
notify users of the health hazard and to repair,
replace or recall the phones so that the hazard no
longer exists.
Although the existing scientific data do not justify
FDA regulatory actions at this time, FDA has urged
the mobile phone industry to take a number of
steps to assure public safety. The agency has
recommended that the industry:
•support needed research into possible
biological effects of RF of the type emitted by
mobile phones
•design mobile phones in a way that
minimizes any RF exposure to the user that is
not necessary for device function
•cooperate in providing mobile phone users
with the best possible information on what is
known about possible effects of mobile
phone use on human health
At the same time, FDA belongs to an interagency
working group of the federal agencies that have
responsibility for different aspects of mobile phone
safety to ensure a coordinated effort at the federal
level. These agencies are:
•National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health
•Environmental Protection Agency
•Federal Communications Commission
•Occupational Health and Safety
Administration