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Study Finds Little Short-Term Cell Phone Health Risk

More research needed to measure long-term effects, however

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 14, 2007

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British scientists investigating potentially harmful effects from mobile phone technology say they haven’t found any, at least not yet.

But the report from Britain’s Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Program said it was possible that adverse health effects could emerge after prolonged use.

The six-year research project has found no association between short term mobile phone use and brain cancer. Studies on volunteers also showed no evidence that brain function was affected by mobile phone signals or the signals used by the emergency services (TETRA). The MTHR program management committee said there is no need to support further work in this area.

The research program also included the largest and most robust studies of electrical hypersensitivity undertaken anywhere in the world. These studies have found no evidence that the unpleasant symptoms experienced by sufferers are the result of exposure to signals from mobile phones or base stations, researchers say.

However, the situation for longer-term exposure is less clear as studies have so far included only a limited number of participants who have used their phones for 10 years or more. The committee recommended more research be conducted in this area.

The MTHR program also investigated whether mobile phones might affect cells and tissue beyond simply heating them. The results so far show no evidence for this and the committee believes there is no need to support further work in this area.

“This is a very substantial report from a large research program,” said Professor Lawrie Challis, Chairman of MTHR. “The results are so far reassuring but there is still a need for more research, especially to check that no effects emerge from longer-term phone use from adults and from use by children.”

Additional studies confirmed that the use of a mobile phone while driving, whether hand-held or hands-free, causes impairment to performance comparable to that from other in-car distractions.

There are however indications that the demand on cognitive resources from mobile phones may be greater, the report said.

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