More mobile phone & cancer controversy
posted in - Offbeat news, - Palmdoc |
I am sure this report spotted in Medscape will spark more controversy within the industry and concern amongst mobile phone users:
The new report, “Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern. Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone,” was released in August by the International Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Collaborative, a group that includes Powerwatch and the Radiation Research Trust in the United Kingdom, and the EMR Policy Institute, ElectromagneticHealth.org, and The Peoples Initiative Foundation in the United States.
More than 40 scientists and officials from 14 countries endorsed the report, which concluded that:
* Studies that are independent of the telecom industry consistently show there is a “significant” risk for brain tumors from cell phone use.
* The EMF exposure limits advocated by industry and used by governments are based on a false premise that a cell phone’s electromagnetic radiation has no biological effects except for heating.
* The danger of brain tumors from cell phone use is highest in children, and the younger a child is when he/she starts using a cell phone, the higher the risk.
You can download the report in PDF format here
The report also covers the issue of cellphone use and male infertility (something those of you who like to keep your mobile phones in your pockets might be interested to read):
Men, and particularly teenage boys, place their cellphone in the pants/trousers pockets when they are not holding it to their heads in conversation. There are multiple studies showing deleterious effects on sperm including decreased sperm counts and reduced sperm motility.
One study found a highly significant (99.99% confidence) 59% decline in sperm count in men who used cell phones for 4 or more hours per day as compared with those who did not use cell phones at all.
Another study reported an 80% increased near-significant risk (93.9% confidence) of testicular cancer when the cellphone was kept in the left pocket, then the left testicle developed cancer; kept in the right pocket, then the right testicle developed cancer.
Related MMR posts:
Cancer Center Warns Of Cell Phone Risks
Mobiles Don’t Cause Cancer
Relief for cell-phone users
Cell phones may affect sperm quality (II)
CAP calls for ban on mobile phones
While there will be once again more discussion and arguments about mobile phones and cancer, I personally don’t believe we are facing an epidemic of brain tumours so the absolute numbers can’t be that great, even if it were statistically significant. I would like to put things into perspective and repeat what I said in a previous post. Yes, mobile phones can be hazardous to your health but
the biggest risk to health from mobile phones is using them while driving!
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November 7th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
You’re absolutely right. Mobile phone existed worldwide for past 20 years. I wonder was there any study or report stated that the incidence of brain tumour had actually increased in last 20 years? The fact is more people died in the motor vehicle accident using cellphone while driving.
While it is interesting to quote the increase of relative risk but to express the true picture, absolute risk need to be quoted for us to see the true picture.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
“Study finds no brain tumor link with mobile phones”
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
(Reuters/HealthNews)
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A very large, 30-year study of just about everyone in Scandinavia shows no link between cellphone use and brain tumors, researchers reported on Thursday.
Even though mobile telephone use soared in the 1990s and afterward, brain tumors did not become any more common during this time, the researchers reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute”