User's Manual

directly applicable to human populations, but ten or

more years of follow-up research may be needed to

provide answers about certain health effects, such as

cancer.

This is due to the interval between exposure time to a

cancer-causing agent and the rate for which tumors

develop - if they do. This could take several years

into the future. 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 phone is held, or which

model of phone is used.

7. What has the FDA done to measure the Radio

Frequency energy coming from wireless phones?

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

(IEEE) is developing a technical standard for

measuring the Radio Frequency (RF) energy

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