Wireless Health Facts

The scientific evidence and expert reviews from leading health organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, the World Health Organization, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks, reflect a consensus based on published impartial scientific research showing that wireless technology is not a threat to public health. The links below represent a sampling of the available data.

The IEEE International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety maintains a list of Expert Reviews on this topic.

According to the American Cancer Society:

“Cell phones work by sending signals to (and receiving them from) nearby cell towers (base stations) using RF waves. This is a form of electromagnetic energy that falls between FM radio waves and microwaves. Like FM radio waves, microwaves, visible light, and heat, RF waves are a form of non-ionizing radiation. They don't have enough energy to cause cancer by directly damaging the DNA inside cells. RF waves are different from stronger (ionizing) types of radiation such as x-rays, gamma rays, and ultraviolet (UV) light, which can break the chemical bonds in DNA.”

“As noted above, the RF waves given off by cell phones don't have enough energy to damage DNA directly or to heat body tissues. Because of this, many scientists believe that cell phones aren't able to cause cancer. Most studies done in the lab have supported this theory, finding that RF waves do not cause DNA damage.”

According to the Federal Drug Administration:

“Based on the FDA’s ongoing evaluation, the available epidemiological and cancer incidence data continues to support the Agency’s determination that there are no quantifiable adverse health effects in humans caused by exposures at or under the current cell phone exposure limits.”

According to CTIA:

“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) points out on its website: ‘Over the past 15 years, scientists have conducted hundreds of studies looking at the biological effects of the radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones.’ That research has been monitored and assessed by a number of responsible government agencies and expert authorities, including the FDA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the World Health Organization (WHO). As you can see from the quotes below, each of those organizations has reached the same basic conclusion: the weight of the scientific research has not linked the use of cell phones with any health effects.”

According to the Federal Communications Commission:

“All wireless phones sold in the United States meet government requirements that limit their RF energy to safe levels. The relative amount of RF energy absorbed in the head of a wireless telephone-user is given by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). The FCC requires wireless phones to have SAR levels no greater than 1.6 watts per kilogram.”