Cell Phones - Do They Cause Cancer

What we know about cell phone use

Cell phones use non-ionizing radiation or low levels of radiofrequency energy (RF). Exposures to low levels of RF from cell phones have not been found to cause health problems.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have developed guidelines that limit the amount of radiofrequency energy that cell phones are allowed to emit in the US. The RF exposure from cell phones is measured in Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).

The SAR measures the amount of energy absorbed by the body. The SAR permitted in the US is 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6W/kg).

According to the FCC, this amount is much lower than the level shown to cause any changes in laboratory animals. Every cell phone manufacturer is required to report the RF exposure of each of its phone models to the FCC. To find out specific information on your cell phone, you can go to the FCC web site.