Nokia 1221 User Manual

Page 74

3. What kinds of phones are the subject of this update?

The term wireless phone refers here to hand-held 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 Federal Communications Commission

safety guidelines that were developed with the advice of 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.