Safety
98
Safety
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 10 or more years follow-up
may be needed to provide answers
about some health effects, such as
cancer. This is because the interval
between the time of exposure to a
cancer-causing agent and the time
tumors develop — if they do —
may be many, many years. The
interpretation of epidemiological
studies is hampered by difficulties
in measuring actual RF exposure
during day-to-day use of wireless
phones. Many factors affect this
measurement, such as the angle at
which the phone is held, or which
model of phone is used.