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Safety Guidelines
know with certainty what the results of such studies
mean for human health.
Three large epidemiology studies have been published
since December 2000. Between them, the studies
investigated any possible association between the use
of wireless phones and primary brain cancer, glioma,
meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, tumors of the brain
or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers. None of
the studies demonstrated the existence of any harmful
health effects from wireless phone RF exposures.
However, none of the studies can answer questions
about long-term exposures, since the average period of
phone use in these studies was around three years.
5. What research is needed to decide whether
RF exposure from wireless phones poses a
health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and
epidemiological studies of people actually using
wireless phones would provide some of the data that
are needed. Lifetime animal exposure studies could be
completed in a few years. However, very large numbers
of animals would be needed to provide reliable proof of
a cancer promoting effect if one exists. Epidemiological
studies can provide data that is directly applicable
80
to human populations, but 10 or more years follow-
up may be needed to provide answers about some
health effects, such as cancer. This is because the
interval between the time of exposure to a cancer-
causing agent and the time tumors develop — if they
do — may be many, many years. 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.
6. What is the FDA doing to find out more about
the possible health effects of wireless phone
RF?
The FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology
Program and with groups of investigators around the
world to ensure that high priority animal studies are
conducted to address important questions about the
effects of exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF).
The FDA has been a leading participant in the World
Health Organization International Electromagnetic
Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in 1996. An
influential result of this work has been the development
of a detailed agenda of research needs that has driven
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