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conditions under which people use wireless
phones, so we don't 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 phones 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.
8
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 answers
about some health effects, such as cancer.
This is because the interval between the
time of exposure to a cancer-causing agent
and the time tumors develop - if they do -
may be many, many years.
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