FCC Letter Sought FDA Guidance Before Addressing RF Rules

The FCC Thursday posted a March 22 letter by Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp to Jeff Shuren, director of FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, seeking counsel on health effects of cellphones. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai subsequently circulated an item that keeps current limits in place, while making a few updates (see 1908080061). "We are aware that the final reports of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Study and your public statements that NTP’s experimental findings should not be applied to human cell phone usage, that the available scientific evidence to date does not support adverse health effects in humans due to exposures at or under the current limits, and that the FDA is committed to protecting public health and continues its review of the many sources of scientific literature on this topic,” Knapp wrote: “There has been strong interest for the FCC to address the standards matter, particularly as new technologies such as 5G are introduced.” Knapp sought “guidance as to whether any changes to the standards are appropriate.” His agency didn't immediately say why it took several months to release the letter.