143FDA and Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association(CTIA) have a formal Cooperative Research and DevelopmentAgreement (CRADA) to do research on wireless phone safety.FDA provides the scientific oversight, obtaining input fromexperts in government, industry, and academic organizations.CTIA-funded research is conducted through contracts toindependent investigators. The initial research will include bothlaboratory studies and studies of wireless phone users. TheCRADA will also include a broad assessment of additionalresearch needs in the context of the latest researchdevelopments around the world.What steps can I take to reduce my exposure to radiofrequency energy from my wireless phone?If there is a risk from these products - and at this point we do notknow that there is - it is probably very small. But if you areconcerned about avoiding even potential risks, you can take afew simple steps to minimize your exposure to radio frequencyenergy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much exposure aperson receives, reducing the amount of time spent using awireless phone will reduce RF exposure.• If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless phone everyday, you could place more distance between your body and the sourceof the RF, since the exposure level drops off dramatically with distance.For example, you could use a headset and carry the wireless phoneaway from your body or use a wireless phone connected to a remoteantenna.Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wirelessphones are harmful. But if you are concerned about the RFexposure from these products, you can use measures like thosedescribed above to reduce your RF exposure from wireless phoneuse.What about children using wireless phones?The scientific evidence does not show a danger to users ofwireless phones, including children and teenagers. If you want totake steps to lower exposure to radio frequency energy (RF), themeasures described above would apply to children andteenagers using wireless phones. Reducing the time of wirelessphone use and increasing the distance between the user and theRF source will reduce RF exposure.Some groups sponsored by other national governments haveadvised that children be discouraged from using wireless phonesat all. For example, the government in the United Kingdomdistributed leaflets containing such a recommendation inDecember 2000.They noted that no evidence exists that using a wireless phonecauses brain tumors or other ill effects. Their recommendation tolimit wireless phone use by children was strictly precautionary; itu810.book Page 143 Friday, May 1, 2009 12:03 PM