User Manual

APPENDIX
159
radiofrequency energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much exposure a
person receives, reducing the amount of time spent using a wireless phone will
reduce RF exposure.
If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless phone every day, you
could place more distance between your body and the source of the RF, since the
exposure level drops off dramatically with distance. For example, you could use a
headset and carry the wireless phone away from your body or use a wireless
phone connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wireless phones are harmful.
But if you are concerned about the RF exposure from these products, you can use
measures like those described above to reduce your RF exposure from wireless
phone use.
10. What about children using wireless phones?
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to users of wireless phones,
including children and teenagers. If you want to take steps to lower exposure to
radiofrequency energy (RF), the measures described above would apply to
children and teenagers using wireless phones. Reducing the time of wireless
phone use and increasing the distance between the user and the RF source will
reduce RF exposure.Some groups sponsored by other national governments have
advised that children be discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For
example, the government in the United Kingdom distributed leaflets containing
such a recommendation in December 2000. They noted that no evidence exists
that using a wireless phone causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their
recommendation to limit wireless phone use by children was strictly
precautionary; it was not based on scientific evidence that any health hazard
exists.
11. What about wireless phone interference with medical equipment?
Radiofrequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can interact with some
electronic devices. For this reason, FDA helped develop a detailed test method to
measure electromagnetic interference (EMI) of implanted cardiac pacemakers
and defibrillators from wireless telephones. This test method is now part of a
standard sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Medical
instrumentation (AAMI). The final draft, a joint effort by FDA, medical device
manufacturers, and many other groups, was completed in late 2000. This
standard will allows manufacturers to ensure that cardiac pacemakers and
defibrillators are safe from wireless phone EMI. FDA has tested hearing aids for
interference from handheld wireless phones and helped develop a voluntary
standard sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
This standard specifies test methods and performance requirements for hearing