Frequently asked questions about mobile phone safety.
What research has been carried out on the health risks of mobile phones?
What research has been carried out in the UK?
What does the MTHR research say about mobile phone use and cancers of the brain and nervous system?
Do mobiles affect brain function?
Do mobile phones and mobile phone masts cause unpleasant symptoms?
Are there biological reasons to believe that mobile phones might be harmful?
Are mobile phone masts dangerous?
Where are mobile phones most dangerous?
Do scientists know everything about mobile phones and health?
Can I trust the recommendations of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme?
What research has been carried out on the health risks of mobile phones?
The possibility of health risks arising from mobile phones is of public concern. Many studies are being carried out in Europe and elsewhere following media reports that mobile phones could cause cancer and other health problems.
The COSMOS study
The COSMOS study involves scientists from the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and The Netherlands monitoring about 250,000 mobile phone users in Europe to identify any possible health issues linked to using mobile phones over a long period of time.
The UK part of the study, run by Imperial College, London, will follow the health of approximately 90,000-100,000 mobile phone users older than 18 years of age for 20 to 30 years.
Scientists will look at any changes in the frequency of specific symptoms over time, such as headaches and sleep disorders, as well as the risks of cancers, benign tumours and neurological and cerebrovascular diseases.
The study is funded by the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR) and the government.
The INTERPHONE study
The INTERPHONE study was a multi-national study set up in 2000 involving research in 13 countries. The aim was to see whether mobile phone use is associated with an increased risk of head and neck tumours.
In May 2010 the results were released and concluded that there was no increased risk of tumours with mobile phone use. However, it also concluded that the potential effect of long-term heavy use of mobile phones needs further investigation.
What research has been carried out in the UK?
In April 1999, Tessa Jowell, then minister for public health, asked Sir Walter Bodmer, the chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board, to set up an Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP). Jowell asked the IEGMP “to consider concerns about possible health effects from the use of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters”.
In 2000, the committee published the Stewart Report, which led to the creation of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR). In September 2007, the MTHR released a progress report, pulling together all evidence gathered to date.
In addition, an updated review of the worldwide scientific literature on possible health effects from radio waves was published by the Health Protection Agency's Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) in 2003.
What does the MTHR research say on mobile phone use and cancers of the brain and nervous system?
The report found no evidence to link short-term exposure (less than 10 years) to mobile phone use with cancers of the brain and nervous system. However, it noted that cancers are rarely detectable until 10 to 15 years after the cancer-producing event.
It recommended further research is needed on the long-term use of mobile phones in relation to cancer and other diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Do mobiles affect brain function?
The MTHR’s set of volunteer studies of brain function is one of the largest carried out anywhere. None of the studies found exposure to radio frequency fields generated by mobile phones has an effect on brain function. The studies looked at factors such as memory and response times, and found no changes.
Do mobile phones and mobile phone masts cause unpleasant symptoms?
The MTHR’s research did not find any evidence to suggest some people suffer unpleasant symptoms due to signals from mobile phones or masts. Its research programme included some of the largest and most robust studies of their type.
The MTHR recognised specific concerns about TETRA radios and base stations used by emergency services. It is carrying out further work in this area.
Are there biological reasons to believe that mobile phones might be harmful?
The Stewart Report noted that, in a small number of experiments, mobile phones cause biological effects in cells and animals. The MTHR conducted careful studies of two possible cellular effects identified in the Stewart Report: stress protein production and calcium signalling.
Stress proteins are produced when the temperature is increased above critical value. Previous research had shown these proteins were also produced in nematode worms when exposed to mobile phone emissions thought to be too weak to result in temperature rises above the critical value. However, the very careful studies supported by MTHR showed this was not the case. The stress proteins were in fact produced by heating in the normal way. Since the committee did not find any “convincing new evidence of cellular effects”, it does not propose to support further work in this area.
Research into other possible biological effects of mobile phones, such as the activation of calcium signals, is continuing and has not yet been published.
Are mobile phone masts dangerous?
Levels of exposure to radio frequency radiation near mobile phone masts (base stations) are low – well below international guidelines. Exposures are usually 0.002-2% of guideline values and, at their highest, less than 10% of guideline values.
Where are mobile phones most dangerous?
The biggest known threat that mobile phones pose to health is their use when driving, said the MTHR report. Using them at the wheel impairs driving performance and increases the risk of accidents. But there is no statistical evidence that mobiles are more of a distraction than a conversation with a passenger. However, passengers are normally aware of traffic conditions, so they are likely to stop talking in potentially dangerous situations.
Do scientists know everything about mobile phones and health?
No, and research is continuing. There is little research on the effects of using mobile phones for more than 15 years, so it is impossible to be certain that long-term use is 100% safe.
There is also little research on the effects of mobile phones on children, who are more sensitive than adults to many environmental agents, such as lead pollution and sunlight. Government advice is to be on the safe side and limit mobile phone use by children.
Can I trust the recommendations of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme?
The programme is jointly funded by the government and the mobile phone industry. Its reports and operations are overseen by a 12-strong independent programme management committee, including a representative of the World Health Organization.
