Dear Dr. Kirschstein:
We write to transmit the enclosed General Accounting Office (GAO) report on "Research and Regulatory Efforts on Mobile Phone Health Issues," and to urge you to implement recommendations that we feel follow from the report?s conclusions.
As you know, mobile phone use in the United States has increased exponentially over the last few years; indeed, the number of cellular subscribers has already grown from 16 million in 1994 to 110 million in 2001. As more Americans use wireless phones, wireless service is less and less perceived as an ancillary, discretionary service. In the years to come consumers will increasingly be relying on this technology for business, safety, and everyday personal use. Lingering concern about potential health risks associated with these devices has prompted the wireless industry, private researchers, and government agencies to seek greater information about the existence, nature and extent of any possible adverse health effects caused by radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phones.
The GAO cites a consensus in the world scientific community that research to date does not show that radiofrequency emissions from mobile phones have adverse health effects, but that there is not yet enough information to conclude that the phones pose no risk. The GAO concludes that "[g]iven the long-term nature of much of the research being conducted ? particularly the epidemiological and animal studies ? it will likely be many more years before a definitive conclusion can be reached on whether mobile phone emissions pose any risk to human health." A number of research priorities have been identified through an assessment conducted by the World Health Organization in collaboration with other international organizations, and the WHO is currently performing a new assessment of research needs. The GAO report notes that research supported by the U.S. government "represents a small portion of the research being done in the area worldwide."
We are writing to ask that the National Institutes of Health, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration, review whether the United States government should be supporting more research into the possible adverse health effects of radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phones. This review should take into account research needs that have been identified by the World Health Organization and not yet met. We further ask that formal procedures be established to ensure that this question be revisited from time to time, as new global assessments will be completed in the near future and as new studies published over the next years will likely provide more complete information on the possibility of adverse health effects. Finally, we are interested in learning whether there are reasons why the United States government sponsored research represents a small portion of the research being done worldwide.
We look forward to hearing your views on the GAO report and the recommendations contained in this letter. Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Senator Joseph Lieberman
Ranking Member
Senate Committee On
Governmental Affairs
Representative Ed Markey
Ranking Member
House Subcommittee on Telecommunications
and the Internet
cc: Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Letter to the Food and Drug Administration
Bernard A. Schwetz, D.V.M., Ph.D.,
Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Dear Dr. Schwetz:
We write to transmit the enclosed General Accounting Office (GAO) report on "Research and Regulatory Efforts on Mobile Phone Health Issues," and to urge you to implement the recommendations it contains, as well as additional recommendations that we feel follow from the report?s conclusions.
As you know, mobile phone use in the United States has increased exponentially over the last few years; indeed, the number of cellular subscribers has already grown from 16 million in 1994 to 110 million in 2001. As more Americans use wireless phones, wireless service is less and less perceived as an ancillary, discretionary service. In the years to come consumers will increasingly be relying on this technology for business, safety, and everyday personal use. Lingering concern about potential health risks associated with these devices has prompted the wireless industry, private researchers, and government agencies to seek greater information about the existence, nature and extent of any possible adverse health effects caused by radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phones.
The GAO cites a consensus in the world scientific community that research to date does not show that radiofrequency emissions from mobile phones have adverse health effects, but that there is not yet enough information to conclude that the phones pose no risk. The GAO report concludes that "[g]iven the long-term nature of much of the research being conducted ? particularly the epidemiological and animal studies ? it will likely be many more years before a definitive conclusion can be reached on whether mobile phone emissions pose any risk to human health." Until more scientific investigation has been done, it is imperative that the American public be provided with clear and up to date information describing what is known about the safety of their cellular phones. The GAO found that the Food and Drug Administration should be doing a better job providing information about the issue. For example, the FDA?s "Consumer Update on Mobile Phones," which is voluntarily placed in the packaging of most phones sold in the U.S., was found by the GAO to have been "written in a technical manner that may be confusing to the general public."
The GAO report contains a number of recommendations for Federal government agencies, including suggested action for the FDA. We urge you to implement these sensible steps expeditiously. In particular, the GAO report included the following proposals for the FDA:
publicly report on the extent to which the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) is following FDA?s recommendations in choosing and funding specific research proposals conducted under the cooperative research and development agreement between FDA and CTIA, and
develop a new consumer update document that provides a current overview of the status of health issues and research related to mobile phones, written with a broad consumer audience in mind, and revised as significant research and policy events occur.
In addition, we recommend that the FDA assist the NIH in reviewing whether the United States government should be supporting more research into the possible adverse health effects of radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phones. Finally, we recommend that the FDA work with the FCC to develop a single integrated website, for consumers to be provided with both up to date information about health issues and research related to mobile phones, and easily accessible information about the SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) levels of different models of phones and the meaning of SAR data. The website could be complemented by a call center or other sources of information for those lacking access to the Internet.
We look forward to hearing your views on the GAO report and the various recommendations referenced in the report and in this letter. Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Senator Joseph Lieberman
Ranking Member
Senate Committee On
Governmental Affairs
Representative Ed Markey
Ranking Member
House Subcommittee on Telecommunications
and the Internet
cc: Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission
The Honorable Michael Powell
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Dear Chairman Powell:
We write to transmit the enclosed General Accounting Office (GAO) report on "Research and Regulatory Efforts on Mobile Phone Health Issues," and to urge you to implement the recommendations it contains, as well as additional recommendations that we feel follow from the report?s conclusions.
As you know, mobile phone use in the United States has increased exponentially over the last few years; indeed, the number of cellular subscribers has already grown from 16 million in 1994 to 110 million in 2001. As more Americans use wireless phones, wireless service is less and less perceived as an ancillary, discretionary service. In the years to come consumers will increasingly be relying on this technology for business, safety, and everyday personal use. Lingering concern about potential health risks associated with these devices has prompted the wireless industry, private researchers, and government agencies to seek greater information about the existence, nature and extent of any possible adverse health effects caused by radiofrequency radiation emitted by mobile phones.
The GAO cites a consensus in the world scientific community that research to date does not show that radiofrequency emissions from mobile phones have adverse health effects, but that there is not yet enough information to conclude that the phones pose no risk. The GAO report concludes that "[g]iven the long-term nature of much of the research being conducted ? particularly the epidemiological and animal studies ? it will likely be many more years before a definitive conclusion can be reached on whether mobile phone emissions pose any risk to human health." Until more scientific investigation has been done, it is imperative that the American public be provided with clear and up to date information describing what is known about the safety of their cellular phones. The GAO found that the Commission should be doing a better job providing information about the issue, and that the Commission should make it easier for consumers to learn about radiofrequency radiation and how much radiation is emitted by different models of mobile phones.
The GAO also demonstrated the extent to which SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) tests, which measure the radiofrequency emissions of mobile phones, can produce widely varying results based on differences in testing procedures. This finding is disturbing, given that manufacturers of cellular phones test their own products, or pay private labs to perform the tests. The Commission must do everything it can to ensure that discrepancies in testing procedures do not lead to inconsistent or inaccurate reporting of SAR levels by phone manufacturers.
The GAO report contains a number of recommendations for Federal government agencies, including suggested action for the Commission. We urge you to implement these sensible steps expeditiously. In particular, the GAO report included the following proposals for the Commission:
upgrade the Commission?s consumer information program to avail consumers of access to clear, consistent and easily understood information about mobile phone radiofrequency exposure issues,
develop a plan to secure additional personnel skilled in radiofrequency exposure and testing issues,
standardize SAR testing procedures to reduce variation in test results, and,
consult with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with respect to FDA?s methods for incorporating measurement uncertainty in determining compliance with radiofrequency limits.
In addition, we recommend that the Commission work with the FDA to develop a single integrated website, for consumers to be provided with both up to date information about health issues and research related to mobile phones, and more easily accessible information about the SAR levels of different models of phones and the meaning of SAR data. The website could be complemented by a call center or other sources of information for those lacking access to the Internet.
We look forward to hearing your views on the GAO report and the various recommendations referenced in the report and in this letter. Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Senator Joseph Lieberman
Ranking Member
Senate Committee On
Governmental Affairs
Representative Ed Markey
Ranking Member
House Subcommittee on Telecommunications
and the Internet
cc: Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
