36Health and safety informationfrom those emissions reduce risks. Some productsthat claim to shield the user from RF absorption usespecial phone cases, while others involve nothingmore than a metallic accessory attached to the phone.Studies have shown that these products generally donot work as advertised. Unlike “hand-free” kits, theseso-called “shields” may interfere with proper operationof the phone. The phone may be forced to boost itspower to compensate, leading to an increase in RFabsorption. In February 2002, the Federal tradeCommission (FTC) charged two companies that solddevices that claimed to protect wireless phone usersfrom radiation with making false and unsubstantiatedclaims. According to FTC, these defendants lacked areasonable basis to substantiate their claim.8. What about wireless phone interference withmedical equipment?Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones caninteract with some electronic devices. For this reason,FDA helped develop a detailed test method to measureelectromagnetic interference (EMI) of implantedcardiac pacemakers and defibrillators from wirelesstelephones. This test method is now part of a standardsponsored by the Association for the Advancement ofMedical instrumentation (AAMI). The final draft, a jointeffort by FDA, medical device manufacturers, andmany other groups, was completed in late 2000. Thisstandard will allow manufacturers to ensure thatcardiac pacemakers and defibrillators are safe fromwireless phone EMI.FDA has tested hearing aids for interference fromhandheld wireless phones and helped develop avoluntary standard sponsored by the Institute ofElectrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Thisstandard specifies test methods and performancerequirements for hearing aids and wireless phones sothat no interference occurs when a person uses acompatible phone and a compatible hearing aid at thesame time. This standard was approved by the IEEE in2000.
