Safety
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Safety
had been genetically engineered
or treated with cancer-causing
chemicals so as to be pre-
disposed to develop cancer in
the absence of RF exposure.
Other studies exposed the
animals to RF for up to 22 hours
per day. These conditions are
not similar to the conditions
under which people use wireless
phones, so we do not know with
certainty what the results of such
studies mean for human health.
Three large epidemiology studies
have been published since
December 2000. Between them,
the studies investigated any
possible association between the
use of wireless phones and
primary brain cancer, glioma,
meningioma, or acoustic
neuroma, tumors of the brain or
salivary gland, leukemia, or other
cancers. None of the studies
demonstrated the existence of
any harmful health effects from
wireless phone RF exposures.
However, none of the studies can
answer questions about long-
term exposures, since the
average period of phone use in
these studies was around three
years.
5. What research is needed to
decide whether RF exposure
from wireless phones poses a
health risk?
A combination of laboratory
studies and epidemiological
studies of people actually using
wireless phones would provide
some of the data that are
needed. Lifetime animal exposure
studies could be completed in a
few years. However, very large
numbers of animals would be
needed to provide reliable proof
of a cancer promoting effect if
one exists. Epidemiological
studies can provide data that is
directly applicable to human
populations, but ten or more