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129
LX5550
128
LX5550
3.
What
kinds
of
phones
are
the
subject
of
this
update?
The
term
"wireless
phone"
refers
here
to
handheld
wireless
phones
with
built-in
antennas,
often
called
"cell",
"mobile",
or
"PCS"
phones.
These
types
of
wireless
phones
can
expose
the
user
to
measurable
radiofrequency
energy
(RF)
because
of
the
short
distance
between
the
phone
and
the
user's
head.
These
RF
exposures
are
limited
by
FCC
safety
guidelines
that
were
developed
with
the
advice
of
the
FDA
and
other
federal
health
and
safety
agencies.
When
the
phone
is
located
at
greater
distances
from
the
user,
the
exposure
to
RF
is
drastically
lower
because
a
person's
RF
exposure
decreases
rapidly
with
increasing
distance
from
the
source.
The
so-called
"cordless
phones,"
which
have
a
base
unit
connected
to
the
telephone
wiring
in
a
house,
typically
operate
at
far
lower
power
levels,
and
thus
produce
RF
exposures
far
below
the
FCC
safety
limits.
4.
What
are
the
results
of
the
research
done
already?
The
research
done
thus
far
has
produced
conflicting
results,
and
many
studies
have
suffered
from
flaws
in
their
research
methods.
Animal
experiments
investigating
the
effects
of
radiofrequency
energy
(RF)
exposures
characteristic
of
wireless
phones
have
yielded
conflicting
results
that
often
cannot
be
repeated
in
other
laboratories.
A
few
animal
studies,
however,
have
suggested
that
low
levels
of
RF
could
accelerate
the
development
of
cancer
in
laboratory
animals.
However,
many
of
the
studies
that
showed
increased
tumor
development
used
animals
that
had
been
genetically
engineered
or
treated
with
cancer-causing
chemicals
so
as
to
be
pre-disposed
to
develop
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
phones,
so
we
don't
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
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.
Safety
Safety
LX5550(E)-USC.QXD
04/2/26
10:17
AM
Page
128
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