FAQs
Here are the facts about radio frequencies, wireless devices, and health.

General

Are cellphones, cell towers, small cells and antennas safe?

Radiofrequency (RF) energy from wireless devices and networks, including radiofrequencies used by 5G, have not been shown to cause health problems, according to the international scientific community. To cite one example, the Food and Drug Administration said, “Based on the FDA’s ongoing evaluation, the available epidemiological and cancer incidence data continues to support the Agency’s determination that there are no quantifiable adverse health effects in humans caused by exposures at or under the current cell phone exposure limits.”

What do the experts say?

Radiofrequencies (RF), also called radio waves, are a form of energy, like the light you see all around you. They are used to carry broadcast radio and television signals, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, and signals from baby monitors, remote controls, garage door openers and many other everyday items. The general public has been surrounded by sources of RF energy such as this for more than 100 years, since the introduction of radio broadcasting. The current consensus of scientific opinion has not changed—there are no known health risks from RF energy at the low levels approved for everyday consumer use. That is because RF is a low-frequency form of energy, meaning that it is not powerful enough to cause damage to your cells. In fact, the light you see around you every day operates at a much higher energy and frequency than wireless signals, much closer to high-frequency signals that could cause damage, such as X-rays or Gamma Rays. Radiofrequencies have been studied extensively and their scientific properties are well understood. 

Health

Can RF energy from cellphones interfere with pacemakers?

Radiofrequency (RF) energy from cellphones can interact with some electronic devices, producing what is known as electromagnetic interference. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established a testing standard for the manufacture of cardiac pacemakers to ensure they are safe from RF. The FDA advises that anyone looking for an extra precautionary step can hold their cellphone to the ear opposite the side of the body where the pacemaker is implanted, and avoid carrying a turned-on mobile phone in a pocket directly over the pacemaker.

Did a National Toxicology Program (NTP) study establish a link between RF energy and cancer in humans?

No, the NTP study did not establish a link between RF energy and cancer in humans. The authors of the study said that their findings did not apply to humans and that “the exposure levels and durations in our studies were greater than what people experience.” After reviewing the study, the Food and Drug Administration agreed, saying that “the existing safety limits for cell phones remain acceptable for protecting the public health.”

5G

Are children at risk?

RF energy at the low levels approved for everyday consumer use has not been shown to pose a health risk to children, teenagers or any demographic group, according to scientific consensus. To cite one example, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health found no correlation between cancer rates and cellphone use by U.S. children and teenagers between 1992 and 2006, despite a rapid rise in their use of cellphones. More recently, a fourteen-country international study of cell phone effects in young adults “concluded that there was no evidence of a link between cell phone use and brain tumors in young people.” As the FDA reports: “Current scientific evidence does not show a danger to any users of cell phones from radio frequency (RF) energy, including children and teenagers.”

I have heard there is no research on the health effects of 5G technology, is that true?

No it is not true. While millimeter wave frequencies are new to wireless networks, they are extremely well understood by the international scientific community. The IEEE, which the FCC describes as “internationally recognized for [its] expertise in this area,” has assembled a list of dozens and dozens of studies on millimeter wave frequencies. The list of the millimeter wave studies and reviews cited by the IEEE is here. In December 2019, the FCC, which regulates radiofrequency emissions in the United States, adopted the recommendations of expert organizations that have reviewed the science, including from the IEEE, and reaffirmed that its safety standards “ensure the health and safety of workers and consumers of wireless technology,” and that “no scientific evidence establishes a causal link between wireless device use and cancer or other illnesses.”

Safety & Training

Do cellphones and wireless equipment have to meet safety standards?

Yes. Safety standards are set by the Federal Communications Commission in order to protect public health. In December 2019, the FCC reaffirmed—on a unanimous and bipartisan basis—these safety standards. The Food and Drug Administration has also said that “the existing safety limits for cell phones remain acceptable for protecting the public health.” Wireless devices go through a rigorous approval process to ensure they meet guidelines and they operate well under safety limits. These limits are based on recommendations from the scientific community and expert non-government organizations including the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

If RF energy is safe, why does the government have safety limits?

While RF energy is not strong enough to cause cell or DNA damage by ionization of atoms or molecules like X-rays can, high levels of RF exposure could cause heating, which is why governments set exposure limits. Limits for wireless devices are set more than 50 times below the level at which heating caused by RF energy has been shown to have an observed effect (IEEE).

From the Experts
What the expert community tells us.
“Acute and long-term effects of RF EMF exposure from the use of mobile phones have been studied extensively without showing any conclusive evidence of adverse health effects… The overall evaluation of all the research on RF EMF fields as emitted by mobile phones leads to the conclusion that RF EMF exposure below the thermal threshold is unlikely to be associated with adverse health effects.”
“Overall, studies have not shown an association between cell phone use and radiogenic health effects, such as cancer.”
“To date, no credible evidence of adverse health effects has been established for cell phone use or being in proximity to cell towers… The question of adverse health effects from cell phones has been studied by scientists and health agencies since the early 1990s. In response to public concerns, industry and governments have supported numerous animal and human studies, and there is now a large amount of relevant scientific literature on the topic. These reports agree that available credible evidence does not show that the use of cell phones or exposure to emissions from their base stations (cell towers) causes brain cancer or any other health effect.”