User Manual

Additional safety information
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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 association between the
use of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma, meningioma, or
acoustic neuroma, tumors of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other
cancers. None of the studies demonstrated the existence of any harmful
health effects from wireless phone RF exposures. However, none of the
studies can answer questions about long-term exposures, since the average
period of phone use in these studies 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 epidemiological studies of people
actually using wireless phones would provide some of the data that are
needed. Lifetime animal exposure studies could be completed in a few years.
However, very large numbers of animals 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 epidemiological studies
is hampered by difficulties in measuring actual RF exposure during
day-to-day use of wireless phones. Many factors affect this measurement,
such as the angle at which the device is held, or which model of phone is
used.
6. What is FDA doing to find out more about the possible
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).
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