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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 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 phone RF
exposures.
However, none of the studies
can answer questions about
longterm 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 10 or
more years follow-up may be
needed to provide answers
about some health effects,
such as cancer.
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