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Appendix C: Consumer Update on Wireless Phones
185
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, gioma,
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.
11.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.