User's Manual

driven the establishment of new research programs around the world. The Project has

also helped develop a series of public information documents on EMF issues. FDA and

the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) have a formal

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to do research on

wireless phone safety. FDA provides the scientific oversight, obtaining input from experts

in government, industry, and academic organizations. CTIA-funded research is

conducted through contracts to 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 radiofrequency 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 radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures. FCC

established these guidelines in consultation with FDA and the other federal health and

safety agencies. The FCC limit for RF exposure from wireless telephones 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/oet/rfsafety) 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 FDA done to measure the radiofrequency energy

coming from wireless phones?

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is developing a technical

standard for measuring the radiofrequency energy (RF) 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

methodology is expected to greatly improve the consistency of measurements made at