For Your Safety
around the world and FDA continues to monitor
developments in this field. You can access the joint FDA/
FCC website at http://www.fda.gov (under "C" in the
subject index, select Cell Phones > Research). You can
also contact the FDA toll-free at (888) 463-6332 or
(888) INFO-FDA. In June 2000, the FDA entered into
a cooperative research and development agreement
through which additional scientific research is being
conducted. The FCC issued its own website publication
stating that "there is no scientific evidence that proves
that wireless device usage can lead to cancer or a variety
of other problems, including headaches, dizziness or
memory loss".
This publication is available at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/
rfsafety or through the FCC at (888) 225-5322 or (888)
CALL-FCC.
14
What does "SAR" mean?
In 1996, the FCC, working with the FDA, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies,
established RF exposure safety guidelines for wireless
devices in the United States. Before a wireless device
model is available for sale to the public, it must be tested
by the manufacturer and certified to the FCC that it does
not exceed limits established by the FCC. One of these
limits is expressed as a Specific Absorption Rate, or
"SAR". SAR is a measure of the rate of absorption of RF
energy in the body. Tests for SAR are conducted with the
device transmitting at its highest power level in all tested
frequency bands. Since 1996, the FCC has required that
the SAR of handheld wireless device not exceed 1.6 watts
per kilogram, averaged over one gram of tissue.
Although the SAR is determined at the highest power
level, the actual SAR value of a wireless device while
operating can be less than the reported SAR value. This