Appendix C: Consumer Update on Wireless Phones149FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the federalagencies that have responsibility for different aspects of RFsafety to ensure coordinated efforts at the federal level.The following agencies belong to this working group:National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthEnvironmental Protection AgencyFederal Communications CommissionOccupational Safety and Health AdministrationNational Telecommunications and InformationAdministrationThe National Institutes of Health participates in someinteragency working group activities, as well.FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for wireless phoneswith the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Allphones that are sold in the United States must comply withFCC safety guidelines that limit RF exposure. FCC relies onFDA and other health agencies for safety questions aboutwireless phones.FCC also regulates the base stations that the wirelessphone networks rely upon. While these base stationsoperate at higher power than do the wireless phonesthemselves, the RF exposures that people get from thesebase stations are typically thousands of times lower thanthose they can get from wireless phones. Base stations arethus not the primary subject of the safety questionsdiscussed in this document.4. What is FDA doing to find out more about the possiblehealth effects of wireless phone RF?
