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the effects of Radio Frequency (RF)
energy exposures characteristic
of wireless phones have yielded
conflicting results that often cannot
be repeated in other laboratories. A
few animal studies, however, have
suggested that low levels of RF could
accelerate the development of cancer
in laboratory animals. However, many
of the studies that showed increased
tumor development used animals that
had been genetically engineered or
treated with cancer-causing chemicals
so as to be pre-disposed to develop
cancer in the absence of RF exposure.
Other studies exposed the animals to
RF for up to 22 hours per day. These
conditions are not similar to the
conditions under which people use
wireless phones, so we do not know
with certainty what the results of
such studies mean for human health.
Three large epidemiology studies
have been published since December
2000. Between them, the studies
investigated any possible association
between the use of wireless phones
and primary brain cancer, glioma,
meningioma, or acoustic neuroma,
tumors of the brain or salivary gland,
leukemia, or other cancers. None
of the studies demonstrated the
existence of any harmful health effects
from wireless phone RF exposures.
However, none of the studies can
answer questions about long-term
exposures, since the average period
of phone use in these studies was
around three years.
5. What research is needed to
decide whether RF exposure from
wireless phones poses a health
risk?
A combination of laboratory studies
and epidemiological studies of people
actually using wireless phones would
provide some of the data that are
needed. Lifetime animal exposure
studies could be completed in a few
years. However, very large numbers of
animals would be needed to provide
reliable proof of a cancer promoting
effect if one exists. Epidemiological
studies can provide data that
is directly applicable to human
populations, but ten or more years
follow-up may be needed to provide
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