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4. What are the results of the research done already?
The research done thus far has produced conflicting
results, and many studies have suffered from flaws in their
research methods. Animal experiments investigating the
effects of Radio Frequency (RF) energy exposures
characteristic of wireless phones have yielded conflicting
results that often cannot be repeated in other laboratories.
A few animal studies, however, have suggested that low
levels of RF could accelerate the development of cancer in
laboratory animals. However, many of the studies that
showed increased tumor development used animals that
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 don’t 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 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.