Cell Phones Cause Cancer, Says World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is stirring up a storm by claiming it will release a study later this year that links cell phone use to an increased risk of brain and salivary gland tumors. The decade-long study claims to have found a definite link, though it stops short of inferring direct causation. The press release, however, does state that using a mobile phone for a decade or more results in "a significantly increased risk" of these types of cancer.
The study isn't actually a medical experiment, but rather a survey and meta-study in the sense that it draws data from surveys previously undertaken by other research teams. Of course, the WHO study has already come under fire from critics, despite its unreleased status -- and for good reason.
Of course, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the WHO is reviving the debate over cell phones and cancer. The WHO has been criticized before for hyperbole, most notably over its study of second-hand smoke (PDF). But, even discounting those past general criticisms, there are legitimate questions about this particular study's methodology. First, MRIs have improved and become more common over the last ten years, leading to an increased detection of tumors, potentially skewing results of any such study. Secondly, there is no way to differentiate the effects of cell phone use from exposure to other sources of electro-magnetic radiation (such as microwaves and televisions). These facts were pointed out to News.Com.Au by brain tumor specialist, Professor Andrew Kaye.
So the debate rages on. We wouldn't suggest literally strapping your iPhone to your head 24 hours a day, but don't stop your weekly, hour-long phone call to your mother for fear it might end in chemotherapy. [From: Daily Express, News.Com.Au, and Telegraph]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rann948 said 5:44PM on 10-27-2009
WHO used to be one of the only functions of the UN that actually did a good job. Now they are just becoming another punch line in the continuing UN joke. My pediatrician daughter just returned from a medical mission to Haiti. The three doctors saw over four hundred children who had NEVER seen a doctor before. Biggest issue - malnutrition and its many complications. What the hell is WHO doing, wasting resources on this kind of crap when there are so many REAL health issues in the world?
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kitty22cape said 6:22PM on 10-27-2009
Astute of the WHO to realize that close-range microwaves kill brain cells. If you are skeptical, try a simple test: fully charge 2 cellphones, then call from one to the other. Place the "connected" phones upright 10 inches apart, with the speaker/earphones facing each other. In the middle, place an uncooked egg in a ceramic egg cup (the kind used to serve hard boiled eggs). THE EGG WILL BE FULLY COOKED IN ABOUT 1 HOUR. So if 2 cellphones can cook an egg in 1 hour, imagine how many brain cells can be "cooked" by talking on 1 cellphone for 2 hours...get the picture here? Also, even if you are not talking on your cellphone, if your cellphone has a signal, as shown by the "bars" on the cellphone screen, than you are being exposed to microwaves via the nearest cellphone tower. Cordless phones also emit microwaves... Rann, IMHO, this actually IS a valid health issue...
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Yehuda Hamer said 5:35AM on 10-28-2009
What happens if I smoke while I am on the cel phone?
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kn said 10:55PM on 10-27-2009
This is how I read the headline: Cell phones cause cancer, says Who?
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archrunnr said 1:13AM on 10-28-2009
"Secondly, there is no way to differentiate the effects of cell phone use to other forms of electromagnetic radiation (such as microwaves and televisions)."
Uh huh. No one holds a microwave oven or a TV directly against the side of thier heads for a couple of hours a day. Cell phones are microwave transmitters. That is how they operate.
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Lady A said 4:34PM on 10-28-2009
As with any study, there is no way to show causality (and to do so would be wrong wrong wrong). Do these people develop tumors because they use cell phones? Or do they use cell phones because they're predisposed to develop brain tumors.
I'm willing to believe that a portion of cell phone users have malignant growths where their brains should be.
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