Cell Phones and Cancer

Dear All,

This has remained a hot topic ever since Cell Phones arrived on the market.

We were all reminded that use of mobiles could increase the incidence of some cancers and notable among them was Brain, Parotid Gland, Skin etc. Another aspect that was being told is that it can cause Cardiac Irregularities in Rhythm when kept the Breast Pockets or as some women do under the Bra.

Since the turn of this century there have been many studies addressing the validity of such thoughts.

 Eve as late as 2016, Ki-Hyun Kim suggested that though there was no epidemiological evidence that Cell Phones cause cancer but evidence regarding the occurrence of cancer due to exposure to the radio frequency energy of mobile phones is nonetheless conflicting. Earlier researchers like Ayanda* et al, (2012) were also of similar opinion.

There are no good explanations for how mobile phones could cause cancer. The radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation that mobile phones or phone masts transmit and receive is non-ionizing and is very weak. This non-ionizing radiation does not have enough energy to damage DNA and cannot directly cause cancer.

Today many use 4G and in some countries 5G. These networks rely on radio waves to work just like older mobile phone networks. The difference with 4G or 5G networks is that they use higher frequency waves than older mobile networks, but they still don’t have enough energy to damage DNA to cause cancer.  

At this time, the effects of cell phone use on children are not clear. However, scientists do know that children absorb more RF than adults. Some agencies and government organizations recommend that children avoid prolonged use of cell phones.

The US FDA and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had developed guidelines that limit the amount of RF energy cell phones are allowed to give off in the past. The specific absorption rate (SAR) permitted in the United States is 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). SAR measures the amount of energy absorbed by the body.

In 2020, Feb 12th US FDA released its final report so far indicating that Use of Cell Phones are relatively safe and most of the reports so far published are rather unfounded. The FDA has completed an updated radiofrequency (RF) exposure risk analysis based on relevant peer-reviewed studies from January 1 to 2008 to May 8, 2018. The report summarised the scientific evidence regarding potential adverse health effects in humans caused by RFR exposures and the risk analysis was performed. From the available studies thus far, the agency could not come to any definite conclusion that Exposure to Radiofrequency waves of Cell Phones cause any health related harms. I am providing the report for those interested.

https://www.fda.gov/media/135043/download  (Please read the Executive Summary

Finally, it appears that the issue of Cell Phones causing Cancers has been put to rest.

With warm Regards,

Venu

 

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