Although eligible to retire after more than 30 years of government service, Haseman is in no hurry. As long as my job continues to be fun, I may be around for a long time. The NTP is currently evaluating the need, feasibility, and scope of a possible testing program. The recommendation came from the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates electronic products that emit radiation. The administration noted in its nomination that in the United States alone over 80 million people currently use portable communication devices, with about 25,000 new users daily.
Cell phones use low-level microwave radiation to communicate between the caller and a base station.
Cell phones are currently required to meet exposure guidelines established by the Federal Communications Commission to protect against acute injury from thermal effects. However, nonthermal effects, which occur at much lower levels of exposures, are neither well established nor, consequently, protected against through regulation. Some research has suggested that such microwave radiation may influence DNA synthesis and tumor growth through unspecified ways. It is widely agreed by scientists that more research is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the human health effects of cell phone use. There's also a great deal of research effort globally on the health effects of radio frequency radiation emissions from wireless communication devices.