User's Manual

Health and safety information
12
part of the body during use, then that part of the
body will absorb more RF energy. Wireless phones
marketed in the U.S. are required to meet safety
requirements regardless of whether they are used
against the head or against the body. Either
configuration should result in compliance with the
safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that
claim to shield the head from RF
radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF
emissions from wireless phones, there is no reason
to believe that accessories that claim to shield the
head from those emissions reduce risks. Some
products that claim to shield the user from RF
absorption use special phone cases, while others
involve nothing more than a metallic accessory
attached to the phone. Studies have shown that
these products generally do not work as advertised.
Unlike “hand-free” kits, these so-called “shields” may
interfere with proper operation of the phone. The
phone may be forced to boost its power to
compensate, leading to an increase in RF
absorption. In February 2002, the Federal trade
Commission (FTC) charged two companies that sold
devices that claimed to protect wireless phone users
from radiation with making false and unsubstantiated
claims. According to FTC, these defendants lacked
a reasonable basis to substantiate their claim.
What about wireless phone
interference with medical equipment?
Radio frequency 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