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For Your Safety 121
cancer in the absence of RF exposure. Other studies exposed the animals
to RF for up to 22 hours per day. These conditions are not similar to the
conditions under which people use wireless devices, so we do not 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 devices 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 device RF exposures. However, none of the studies can answer
questions about long-term exposures, since the average period of device use
in these studies was around three years.
5. What research is needed to decide whether RF exposure from
wireless devices poses a health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and epidemiological studies of people
actually using wireless devices 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 to human populations, but ten 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 devices. Many factors affect this measurement, such as the angle at
which the device is held, or which model of device is used.
6. What is the FDA doing to find out more about the possible
health effects of wireless device 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 Radio Frequency (RF) energy.
The FDA has been a leading participant in the World Health Organization
International Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in
1996. An influential result of this work has been the development of a
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