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Safety
11. What about wireless phone
interference with medical
equipment?
Radio Frequency (RF) energy from
wireless phones can interact with
some electronic devices. For this
reason, the FDA helped develop a
detailed test method to measure
Electro Magnetic Interference
(EMI) of implanted cardiac
pacemakers and defibrillators from
wireless telephones. This test
method is now part of a standard
sponsored by the Association for
the Advancement of Medical
Instrumentation (AAMI). The final
draft, a joint effort by the FDA,
medical device manufacturers, and
many other groups, was completed
in late 2000. This standard will
allow manufacturers to ensure that
cardiac pacemakers and
defibrillators are safe from wireless
phone EMI.
The FDA has tested hearing aids
for interference from handheld
wireless phones and helped
develop a voluntary standard
sponsored by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE). This standard specifies test
methods and performance
requirements for hearing aids and
wireless phones so that no
interference occurs when a person
uses a “compatible” phone and a
“compatible” hearing aid at the
same time. This standard was
approved by the IEEE in 2000.
The FDA continues to monitor the
use of wireless phones for possible
interactions with other medical
devices. Should harmful
interference be found to occur, the
FDA will conduct testing to assess
the interference and work to
resolve the problem.
12. Where can I find additional
information?
For additional information, please
refer to the following resources:
FDA web page on wireless phones
(http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-
EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittin
gProductsandProcedures/HomeBu
sinessandEntertainment/CellPhone
s/default.htm)
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) RF Safety
Program
(http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety)