Side effects of cell phones still unknown

Tag : Interphone


Most studies have not consistently demonstrated a link between cellphone use and cancer, including two studies conducted by theNational Cancer Institute. Several other studies coordinatedthrough the Interna-tional Agency for Research on Cancer, calledthe Interphone studies, have also failed to show an association.Numerous laboratory studies on animals have also found no evidencethat DNA is damaged by low levels of radio frequency, McCormicksays.

Questions of safety remain: But the sheer number of people nowusing cell phones and the volume of use, as well as a few studiesthat found a potential link between brain cancer and cell phones,have kept the safety question looming.

The National Academy of Sciences released a report in Januarycalling for more research on cell phones and health risks. Theauthors concluded that many of the past studies were not conductedover a long-enough period of time to assess the risk of braincancer, which typically develops slowly.

Nor have the studies examined the effects of cell phone use onchildren, whose nervous systems are still developing, or on whetherthe radio frequency emissions can cause other types of healthproblems, such as cancers elsewhere in the body or central nervoussystem damage that may affect learning or behavior, says Dr. LeekaKheifets, a professor of epidemiology at the University ofCalifor-nia, Los Angeles' School of Public Health, who was a memberof the NAS panel.

Behavioral effects: The study, which will be published this monthin the journal Epidemiology, is the first to find a behavioraleffect and so must be interpreted with caution. But Kheifets says,"In general, children are more susceptible to environmentalhazards. We have little information on cell phones, and childrenare using cell phones at younger ages."

Research on children and long-term studies should provide moreclarification on any health risks, says Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, anepidemiologist at Gertner Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, inIsrael.