Filter
Top Products
96
2. In a study of 209 brain tumor cases and 425 matched con-
trols, there was no increased risk of brain tumors associated
with mobile phone use. When tumors did exist in certain loca-
tions, however, they were more likely to be on the side of the
head where the mobile phone was used. Because this oc-
curred in only a small number of cases, the increased likeli-
hood was too small to be statistically significant.
4
In summary, we do not have enough information at this point
to assure the public that there are, or are not, any low incident
health problems associated with use of mobile phones. FDA
continues to work with all parties, including other federal agen-
cies and industry, to assure that research is undertaken to
provide the necessary answers to the outstanding questions
about the safety of mobile phones.
What is known about cases of human cancer that have
been reported in users of hand-held mobile phones?
Some people who have used mobile phones have been diag-
nosed with brain cancer. But it is important to understand that
this type of cancer also occurs among people who have not
used mobile phones. In fact, brain cancer occurs in the U.S.
population at a rate of about 6 new cases per 100,000 people
each year. At that rate, assuming 80 million users of mobile
phones (a number increasing at a rate of about 1 million per
month), about 4800 cases of brain cancer would be expected
each year among those 80 million people, whether or not they
used their phones. Thus it is not possible to tell whether any
individual’s cancer arose because of the phone, or whether it
would have happened anyway. A key question is whether the
risk of getting a particular form of cancer is greater among
people who use mobile phones than among the rest of the
population. One way to answer that question is to compare
the usage of mobile phones among people with brain cancer
with the use of mobile phones among appropriately matched
people without brain cancer. This is called a case-control study.
The current case-control study of brain cancers by the Na-
tional Cancer Institute, as well as the follow-up research to be
sponsored by industry, will begin to generate this type of infor-
mation.
What is FDA’s role concerning the safety of mobile
phones?
Under the law, FDA does not review the safety of radiation-
emitting consumer products such as mobile phones before
marketing, as it does with new drugs or medical devices. How-
ever, the agency has authority to take action if mobile phones
are shown to emit radiation at a level that is hazardous to the
user. In such a case, FDA could require the manufacturers of
mobile phones to notify users of the health hazard and to re-
pair, replace or recall the phones so that the hazard no longer
exists.
Although the existing scientific data do not justify FDA regula-
tory actions at this time, FDA has urged the mobile phone
industry to take a number of steps to assure public safety. The
agency has recommended that the industry:
■
support needed research into possible biological effects of
RF of the type emitted by mobile phones;
■
design mobile phones in a way that minimizes any RF ex-
posure to the user that is not necessary for device function;
and
■
cooperate in providing mobile phone users with the best
possible information on what is known about possible ef-
fects of mobile phone use on human health.
4
Hardell, L, Nasman, A, Pahlson, A, Hallquist, A and Mild,
KH. Use of cellular telephones and the risk for brain tumors:
a case-control study. Int. J. Oncol., 15: 113-116, 1999.