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FDA CONSUMER UPDATE

4. What are the results of the research done already? The research done thus far has produced conflicting results, and many studies have suffered from flaws in their research methods. Animal experiments investi- gating the effects of radiofrequency energy (RF) expo- sures characteristic of wireless phones have yielded conflicting results that often cannot be repeated in other laboratories. A few animal studies, however, have suggested that low levels of RF could accelerate the development of cancer in laboratory animals. However, many of the studies that showed increased tumor development used animals that had been genetically engineered or treated with cancer-causing chemicals so as to be pre-disposed to develop cancer in the absence of RF exposure. Other studies exposed the animals to RF for up to 22 hours per day. These conditions are not similar to the conditions under which people use wireless phones, so we don’t know with certainty what the results of such studies mean for human health. Three large epidemiology studies have been published since December 2000. Between them, the studies investigated any possible associa- tion between the use of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neu- roma, tumors of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers. None of the studies demonstrated the existence of any harmful health effects from wire- less phone RF exposures. However, none of the stud- ies can answer questions about long-term exposures, since the average period of phone use in these stud- ies was around three years.

5.What research is needed to decide whether RF exposure from wireless phones poses a health risk?

A combination of laboratory studies and epidemiologi- cal studies of people actually using wireless phones would provide some of the data that are needed.

FDA CONSUMER UPDATE

Lifetime animal exposure studies could be completed in a few years. However, very large numbers of ani- mals would be needed to provide reliable proof of a cancer promoting effect if one exists. Epidemiological studies can provide data that is directly applicable to human populations, but 10 or more years’ follow-up may be needed to provide answers about some health effects, such as cancer. This is because the interval between the time of exposure to a cancer- causing agent and the time tumors develop - if they do -may be many, many years. The interpretation of epidemio- logical studies is hampered by difficulties in measur- ing actual RF exposure during day-to-day use of wire- less phones. Many factors affect this measurement, such as the angle at which the phone is held, or which model of phone is used.

6.What is FDA doing to find out more about the possi- ble health effects of wireless phone RF?

FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology Program and with groups of investigators around the world to ensure that high priority animal studies are conducted to address important questions about the effects of exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF). FDA has been a leading participant in the World Health Organization International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in 1996. An influen- tial result of this work has been the development of a detailed agenda of research needs that has driven the establishment of new research pro-grams around the world.

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