Palm 700P - Manual (Page 243)

I M P O R T A N T S A F E T Y A N D L E G A L I N F O R M A T I O N 237
radiofrequency energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much
exposure a person receives, reducing the amount of time spent using
a wireless smartphone will reduce RF exposure.
If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless smartphone
every day, you could place more distance between your body and the
source of the RF, since the exposure level drops off dramatically with
distance. For example, you could use a headset and carry the
wireless smartphone away from your body or use a wireless
smartphone connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wireless
smartphones are harmful. But if you are concerned about the RF
exposure from these products, you can use measures like those
described above to reduce your RF exposure from wireless
smartphone use.
What about children using wireless smartphones? The scientific
evidence does not show a danger to users of wireless smartphones,
including children and teenagers. If you want to take steps to lower
exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF), the measures described
above would apply to children and teenagers using wireless
smartphones. Reducing the time of wireless smartphone use and
increasing the distance between the user and the RF source will
reduce RF exposure.
Some groups sponsored by other national governments have advised
that children be discouraged from using wireless smartphones at all.
For example, the government in the United Kingdom distributed
leaflets containing such a recommendation in December 2000. They
noted that no evidence exists that using a wireless smartphone
causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their recommendation to limit
wireless smartphone use by children was strictly precautionary; it
was not based on scientific evidence that any health hazard exists.
What about wireless smartphone interference with medical
equipment? Radiofrequency energy (RF) from wireless
smartphones can interact with some electronic devices. For this
reason, FDA helped develop a detailed test method to measure
electromagnetic interference (EMI) of implanted cardiac pacemakers
and defibrillators from wireless telephones. This test method is now
part of a standard sponsored by the Association for the Advancement
of Medical instrumentation (AAMI). The final draft, a joint effort by
FDA, medical device manufacturers, and many other groups, was
completed in late 2000. This standard will allow manufacturers to
ensure that cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators are safe from
wireless smartphone EMI.
FDA has tested hearing aids for interference from handheld wireless
smartphones and helped develop a voluntary standard sponsored by
the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). This
standard specifies test methods and performance requirements for
hearing aids and wireless smartphones so that no interference occurs
when a person uses a “compatible” smartphone and a “compatible”
hearing aid at the same time. This standard was approved by the
IEEE in 2000.
FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless smartphones for
possible interactions with other medical devices. Should harmful
interference be found to occur, FDA will conduct testing to assess
the interference and work to resolve the problem.
Which other federal agencies have responsibilities related to
potential RF health effects? Certain agencies in the Federal
Government have been involved in monitoring, researching or
regulating issues related to human exposure to RF radiation. These
agencies include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH), the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Defense
(DOD).
By authority of the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of
1968, the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the
FDA develops performance standards for the emission of radiation
from electronic products including X-ray equipment, other medical
devices, television sets, microwave ovens, laser products and
sunlamps. The CDRH established a product performance standard for
microwave ovens in 1971 limiting the amount of RF leakage from
ovens. However, the CDRH has not adopted performance standards
for other RF-emitting products. The FDA is, however, the lead federal
health agency in monitoring the latest research developments and
advising other agencies with respect to the safety of RF-emitting
products used by the public, such as cellular and PCS smartphones.