Kyocera 2345 User Manual page 109

among scientists about whether results obtained from animal studies apply to the use
of mobile phones.
First, it is uncertain how to apply the results obtained in rats and mice to humans.
Second, many of the studies that showed increased tumor development used animals
that had already been treated with cancer-causing chemicals, and other studies
exposed the animals to the RF virtually continuously—up to 22 hours per day.
For the past five years in the United States, the mobile phone industry has supported
research into the safety of mobile phones. This research has resulted in two findings
in particular that merit additional study:
1.) In a hospital-based, case-control study, researchers looked for an association
between mobile phone use and either glioma (a type of brain cancer) or acoustic
neuroma (a benign tumor of the nerve sheath). No statistically significant
association was found between mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma. There was
also no association between mobile phone use and gliomas when all types of gliomas
were considered together. It should be noted that the average length of mobile phone
exposure in this study was less than three years.
When 20 types of glioma were considered separately, however, an association was
found between mobile phone use and one rare type of glioma, neuroepithelliomatous
tumors. It is possible with multiple comparisons of the same sample that this
association occurred by chance. Moreover, the risk did not increase with how often the
mobile phone was used, or the length of the calls. In fact, the risk actually decreased
with cumulative hours of mobile phone use. Most cancer causing agents increase risk
with increased exposure. An ongoing study of brain cancers by the National Cancer
Institute is expected to bear on the accuracy and repeatability of these results.
2.) Researchers conducted a large battery of laboratory tests to assess the effects of
exposure to mobile phone RF on genetic material. These included tests for several
kinds of abnormalities, including mutations, chromosomal aberrations, DNA strand
breaks, and structural changes in the genetic material of blood cells called
lymphocytes. None of the tests showed any effect of the RF except for the
micronucleus assay, which detects structural effects on the genetic material. The cells
in this assay showed changes after exposure to simulated cell phone radiation, but
only after 24 hours of exposure. It is possible that exposing the test cells to radiation
for this long resulted in heating. Since this assay is known to be sensitive to heating,
heat alone could have caused the abnormalities to occur. The data already in the
literature on the response of the micronucleus assay to RF are conflicting. Thus,
follow-up research is necessary.
FDA is currently working with government, industry, and academic groups to ensure
the proper follow-up to these industry-funded research findings. Collaboration with
the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) in particular is
expected to lead to FDA providing research recommendations and scientific oversight
of new CTIA-funded research based on such recommendations.
Section 15
Knowing Performance and Safety Guidelines 101