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The National Institutes of Health participates in some interagency working group activities, as well.
FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for wireless phones with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). All phones that are sold in the United States must comply with FCC safety guidelines
that limit RF exposure. FCC relies on FDA and other health agencies for safety questions about wireless
phones.
FCC also regulates the base stations that the wireless phone networks rely upon. While these base stations
operate at higher power than do the wireless phones themselves, the RF exposures that people get from
these base stations are typically thousands of times lower than those they can get from wireless phones.
Base stations are thus not the primary subject of the safety questions discussed in this document.
4. What is FDA doing to find out more about the possible health effects of wireless phone RF?
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 radio frequency energy (RF).
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 the establishment of new research programs around
the world. The Project has also helped develop a series of public information documents on EMF issues.
FDA and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) have a formal Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to do research on wireless phone safety. FDA provides
the scientific oversight, obtaining input from experts in government, industry, and academic organizations.
CTIA-funded research is conducted through contracts to independent investigators. The initial research
will include both laboratory studies and studies of wireless phone users. The CRADA will also include a
broad assessment of additional research needs in the context of the latest research developments around
the world.
