The Department of Health and Human Services launched a formal public comment process seeking input on the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields and wireless radiation, including emissions from smartphones and Wi-Fi devices, on Sept. 17.
The request for public comment signals HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s interest in examining regulatory gaps surrounding wireless technology exposure, the department said.
The action represents the federal government’s most significant formal engagement with electromagnetic field health questions in years and could trigger downstream regulatory review at the Federal Communications Commission and the FDA.
Kennedy has publicly questioned prior scientific consensus on multiple health topics during his career as an advocate and during his tenure at HHS. The wireless radiation inquiry aligns with his stated priority of examining environmental health risks that he has argued received insufficient scrutiny under previous administrations.
For the roughly 300 million Americans who use smartphones daily, the inquiry opens questions about whether federal safety standards for wireless devices — last substantially updated decades ago — adequately reflect current science.
The health effects of wireless EMF exposure have been disputed for years between environmental health advocates, who cite epidemiological studies suggesting potential cancer and neurological risks, and telecommunications industry groups, who point to scientific reviews concluding current exposure levels are safe.
The FCC sets the specific absorption rate limits governing how much radiation wireless devices can emit. Those limits were established in the 1990s based on the thermal effects of radiation — essentially, the point at which radio waves heat body tissue. Critics have argued the standards do not account for potential non-thermal biological effects identified in more recent research.
The public comment period will allow industry groups, scientists, consumer advocates, and members of the public to submit evidence and opinions. HHS did not specify a timeline for action following the comment period.
CTIA, the wireless industry trade association, has previously maintained that scientific evidence supports the safety of wireless devices under current FCC standards.