Defining the Issue

1
Defining the Issue

• Norman D. Sandler
• Director, Global Strategic Issues
• Motorola

2
Origins of the Issue

• Historical context
• Research on RF effects dates back decades --
  from exploration of therapeutic innovations more
  than 70 years ago to the advent of radar and more
  recent commercial applications.
• In 1993, U.S. litigation raised mobile phone
  health issues. The lawsuit went away. The issue
  did not. In fact, it has evolved into a set of
  issues and challenges for regulation,
  communication and public understanding.

3
Evolution of the Issue
RF (Reynard, 1993)

• ELF (Wertheimer/Leeper, 1979)
• Handsets
• Adverse Health(Cancer)
• Pathological Effects(Cancer)
• Direct Other Effects(Interference)

• EMF (Brodeur, 1989)
• Antenna Sites
• Non-Health Effects(Interference)
• Non-Pathological Effects(Headaches)
• Other Unintended Consequences(Driver Safety)

4
Dimensions of the Issue
Science
Litigation
Public Attitudes
Public Policy
5
Basic Observations

• Issues are surfacing in more places in more forms
• Public policy challenge is multinational,
  multidimensional
• Needed global perspective with global
  participation

6
Overview

• Where are questions emerging?
• Science
• Government
• Media
• Marketplace
• Why?
• Reports of new research findings
• Growth, advancement of technology
• Government recommendations
• Legal developments

7
Public Policy Challenges

• The issues are or seem -- complex
• Public information subject to media filter
• Media seize on anomalous views, findings
• Information spreads fast, far, wide
• Frequent result misunderstanding,
  misinformation, questions and confusion

8
Recent Media

• Which? Report, April 2000, November 2000
• Headsets channel three times as much radiation
  from the mobile telephone into the user's head
• Improper modeling of the human body (Head only)
• Used survey meter instead of miniature E-field
  probe
• South China Morning Post, April 2000
• Radiation could damage human cells and cause
  mutation.
• Dr. Chan Yuk-wah of University of Hong Kong
  responded that he was referring to ionizing
  radiation only.

9
Recent Media

• Brain tumor study
• Dr. George Carlo cell-phone use could be
  associated with a rare type of brain cancer
• Joshua Muscat This study did not find evidence
  that cell phone use increases the risk of brain
  cancer.
• Memory effects reported by Dr. Henry Lai
• High peak power pulse fields induce auditory
  effect
• Cell phone signals can not induce auditory effect
• Effects from high peak power cannot be
  extrapolated to low-power devices

10
Key Issues

• Current state of the science depth, breadth and
  overall status of research
• The scientific process how it works and how it
  often is misinterpreted
• Standards how they are established, how they are
  applied and how they serve the public interest
• Standards harmonization recognizing that a
  global issue demands global approaches

11
Scientific Research

• State of the science
• Scope of the science
• The scientific process

12
RF Exposure Standards

• How they are set
• What they mean
• How they are applied
• The quest for harmonization

13
Recent Developments

• Science what the experts are saying
• Regulations what the agencies are doing
• Communications dealing with the public

14
Marketplace Issues

• Exposure level (SAR) reporting
• Product labeling
• Use of phones by children
• The precautionary approach
• Antenna sites
• Public confidence in standards
• EMC

15
SAR What It Means, What It Doesnt Mean

• SAR is a measurement of compliance, NOT a
  measurement of safety.
• SAR measurements are performed to assure that
  radio products meet recognized limits.
• Independent standard-setting organizations,
  government agencies and health authorities do not
  regard differences in SAR as differences in
  safety.
• Regrettably, these points are lost in media
  accounts of plans for SAR reporting.

16
SAR Reporting The Facts

• No health warnings or radiation labels
• Voluntary no government mandates
• On the product box certification of compliance
  with applicable standards, similar to what
  appears in user manuals
• Inside the box explanation of SAR and SAR values
  for the product in question
• Timing process in place for new products in the
  U.S. and commitment to a global approach in 2001