FDA Plans Studies on Cell Phone Safety

Hoping to settle whether there really are any health risks from cellular phones, the Food and Drug Administration negotiated an unusual partnership with the phone industry Thursday to perform about $1-million worth of scientific studies.

Despite public concern that cell phones might cause cancer or other problems, there is no evidence yet that radiation from the phones poses a significant health risk, FDA scientists stressed Thursday.

But nor is there proof that cell phones are totally risk-free, the FDA cautioned.

There are a few studies that suggest the radio waves emitted by cell phone antennas might cause certain biological effects. With 80 million Americans using cell phones, and more buying them each day, uncovering even a small risk could be important to public health.

So the FDA, which oversees the safety of radiation-emitting consumer products, hopes the research collaboration with the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Assn. will sort out the studies.

Under the agreement, the CTIA will fund about $1 million in safety studies. But the FDA will gather a panel of international experts to choose what to study, pick independent scientists to do the work and then oversee that the science is done properly.

The first results could be released in about two years.