User manual

59
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 wireless phones are shown to
emit Radio Frequency (RF) energy at a level that is hazardous to the user. In such a case,
the FDA could require the manufacturers of wireless 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 does not justify FDA regulatory actions, the FDA has
urged the wireless phone industry to take a number of steps, including the following:
1. Support current and future research regarding possible biological effects of the type
of RF emitted by wireless phones;
2. Design wireless phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure to the user that is
not necessary for device function; and
3. Cooperate in providing users of wireless phones with complete and accurate
information regarding possible effects of wireless phone use on human health and
safety.
The FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the federal agencies that have
responsibility for different aspects of RF safety to ensure coordinated efforts at the federal
level. The following agencies belong to this working group:
1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
2. Environmental Protection Agency
3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
4. National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Institutes of Health participates in some interagency working group activities
as well. The FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for wireless phones with the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC). All phones that are sold in the United States must