INTERPHONE finds no increased risk of brain cancer from mobile phone use
By Joe Brooks
The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) welcomes the release of the INTERPHONE study, which finds no increased risk of brain cancer from mobile phone use.
AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus said: “INTERPHONE’s overall finding is in line with the weight of scientific opinion, which has found no substantiated scientific evidence of any adverse health effects.
“Over the past 20 years, more than 30 authoritative expert scientific reviews have evaluated the evidence of the potential health and biological effects of radiofrequency fields and have consistently concluded that there are no established health risks.”
INTERPHONE, a 13-nation study, is the biggest study undertaken of its kind into potential health impacts of mobile phones. It was co-ordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), and adds to the large body of existing research into health effects of radiofrequency emissions.
INTERPHONE has found no increased risk of brain cancer with mobile phone use: The researchers conclude:
“Overall, no increase in risk of glioma or meningioma was observed with use of mobile phones. There were suggestions of an increased risk of glioma at the highest possible exposure levels, but biases and error prevent a causal interpretation. The possible effects of long-term heavy use of mobile phones require further investigation.”
Dr Christopher Wild, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in announcing the INTERPHONE results said:
“An increased risk of brain cancer is not established from the data from interphone. However, observations at the highest level of cumulative mobile phone use since the period studied by interphone, particularly in young people, mean that further investigation of mobile phone use and brain cancer risk is merited.”
AMTA takes all aspects of mobile phone safety seriously and supports ongoing scientific research, such as the COSMOS study that plans to follow the health of 250,000 European mobile phone users for 20-30 years. An international study, MobiKids, in which Australian researchers are involved, is studying mobile phone use among young people.
Mr Althaus said researchers had looked at cancer incidence data over the past three decades and there had been no rise in the incidence rates despite the huge uptake of mobile phone use
“We would expect to see evidence of increases in brain cancer if there were an issue with mobiles. There is no such evidence and people can have confidence about safety of longer-term mobile use,” he said.
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- GSMA Welcomes Publication of INTERPHONE Results
- FDA: No evidence to link cell phone use to risk of brain tumors
- World Health Organization study on cellphones in relation to cancer proves inconclusive
- Nearly two billion additional mobile phone connections recorded between 2006 and 2009
[...] Sydney Morning Herald: “Mobile phone-cancer link possible: study” Wire Update: “INTERPHONE finds no increased risk of brain cancer from mobile phone use” AFP: “Study finds no brain cancer link to mobile phone use” BBC News : [...]