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Safety
contracts with 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 additional research needs in the
context of the latest research developments around the world.
7. How can I find out how much Radio Frequency energy exposure
I can get by using my wireless phone?
All phones sold in the United States must comply with Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines that limit Radio Frequency
(RF) energy exposures. The FCC established these guidelines in
consultation with the FDA and the other federal health and safety agencies.
The FCC limit for RF exposure from wireless phones is set at a Specific
Absorption Rate (SAR) of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The FCC limit
is consistent with the safety standards developed by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) and the National Council on
Radiation Protection and Measurement. The exposure limit takes into
consideration the body’s ability to remove heat from the tissues that absorb
energy from the wireless phone and is set well below levels known to have
effects. Manufacturers of wireless phones must report the RF exposure
level for each model of phone to the FCC. The FCC website (http://www.
fcc.gov/cgb/cellular.html) gives directions for locating the FCC identification
number on your phone so you can find your phone’s RF exposure level in
the online listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure the Radio Frequency energy
coming from wireless phones?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is developing a
technical standard for measuring the Radio Frequency (RF) energy
exposure from wireless phones and other wireless handsets with the
participation and leadership of FDA scientists and engineers. The standard,
“Recommended Practice for Determining the Spatial-Peak Specific
Absorption Rate (SAR) in the Human Body Due to Wireless
Communications Devices: Experimental Techniques”, sets forth the first
consistent test methodology for measuring the rate at which RF is
deposited in the heads of wireless phone users. The test method uses a
tissue-simulating model of the human head. Standardized SAR test
