Health and Safety Information 166Consumer Information on Wireless PhonesDo wireless phone accessories that claim to shieldthe head from RF radiation work?Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions from wirelessphones, there is no reason to believe that accessories that claim to shield the headfrom those emissions reduce risks. Some products that claim to shield the user fromRF absorption use special phone cases, while others involve nothing more than ametallic accessory attached to the phone. Studies have shown that these productsgenerally do not work as advertised. Unlike "hand-free" kits, these so-called"shields" may interfere with proper operation of the phone. The phone may beforced to boost its power to compensate, leading to an increase in RF absorption.In February 2002, the Federal trade Commission (FTC) charged two companies thatsold devices that claimed to protect wireless phone users from radiation withmaking false and unsubstantiated claims. According to FTC, these defendantslacked a reasonable basis to substantiate their claim.What about wireless phone interference withmedical equipment?Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can interact with some electronicdevices. For this reason, FDA helped develop a detailed test method to measureelectromagnetic interference (EMI) of implanted cardiac pacemakers anddefibrillators from wireless telephones. This test method is now part of a standardsponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Medical instrumentation(AAMI). The final draft, a joint effort by FDA, medical device manufacturers, andmany other groups, was completed in late 2000. This standard will allowmanufacturers to ensure that cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators are safe fromwireless phone EMI. FDA has tested wireless phones and helped develop a voluntarystandard sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Thisstandard specifies test methods and performance requirements for hearing aids andwireless phones so that no interference occurs when a person uses a compatiblephone and a compatible hearing aid at the same time. This standard was approvedby the IEEE in 2000.FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possible interactions withother medical devices. Should harmful interference be found to occur, FDA willconduct testing to assess the interference and work to resolve the problem.Additional information on the safety of RF exposures from various sources can beobtained from the following organizations (Updated 12/1/2006):
