This week, several bloggers have pointed out the
contradiction between the recent New Scientist report on the links between
mobile phone use and cancer, and the Finnish study indicating that there are no
risks involved in mobile phone use. This
article has the details.
Last month in WDDTY, Tony Edwards quoted five alarming
recent discoveries about the effects of mobile phone use:
- The
incidence of malignant brain tumours was found to be 5.9 times higher risk
after analogue mobile-phone use, 3.7 times higher after digital mobile use
and 2.3 times higher after cordless phone use, with more than 2000
cumulative hours (Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2006; 79: 630–9).
- Albeit
in rats, and so may not apply to humans, mobile telephone radiation leads
to oxidative stress in cornea and lens tissues in the eye (Curr Eye Res,
2007; 32: 21–5).
- Because
of the shape of their heads, children receive 60 per cent more radiation
from mobiles than adults do (Electromagn Biol Med, 2006; 25: 349–60).
- Studies
funded by the mobile-phone industry are the least likely to find any
evidence of harm (Environ Health Perspect, 2007; 115: 1–4).
- A
Danish study found no connection between mobile phone use and brain
tumours (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2006; 98: 1707–13). Critics point out that
this study (a) did not control for the amount of mobile phone use, (b)
mostly involved infrequent users, and (c) was funded by the cellular phone
industry.
Meanwhile, one blogger has conducted his own scientific
experiment to test the dangers of mobile phones. I wouldn’t exactly call it conclusive, but his post is worth a
look for the pictures alone.
As always, a trawl of the WDDTY archives for articles
on the health risks of mobile phones can be illuminating. Have
a look here.