Video / Articles by Patrick Dixon - 24 million requests in year - 11 million visitors - Conference Speech/Event?
New Radiation
Scare from Mobile Phones - video
Are you a journalist? Media hotline - TV / radio /press "Growing evidence that mobile phone radiation affects living tissues - health risks? "
Video comment by Dr Patrick Dixon on research showing possible health risks from heavy exposure to mobile phone radiation. Risks probably very small in normal use.
WAIT FOR PAGE TO LOAD - PRESS PLAY - MAY NEED TO PRESS AGAIN AND WAIT
2.5 times risk of brain tumours
from phone radiation in humans? Early Alzheimers disease from
destroyed
brain cells? Reports showing no health risk at all? Each month we see more reports about mobile phone radiation effects - but what does it actually mean for you and
me? Is there really a health risk? Here is a common-sense personal
view from a physician and parent of four children who is also a
major user of wireless devices of all kinds.
New reports continue to be published several times a year, suggesting that
there might be health risks from mobile phones
electromagnetic radiation. Yet other studies show little or no health impact.
There
can be no doubt any longer that mobile phone radiation affects
living
cells.
For
example research shows that nematode worms exposed to mobile phone radiation produce more eggs, release stress hormones and grow larger.
But
what is the effect of mobile phone radiation on people? Could
we see
a mass court action in twenty years time against telecom companies
by people claiming compensation for health damage
caused by radiation? It's a possibility, even though at present
the clear evidence suggests that if there is any effect on human
health at all from use of a mobile phone, the electromagnetic radiation risk is very, very low for the individual user.
However some studies have caused concern in the
media. For example, in October 2004, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm gave a new warning about mobile phone radiation and brain tumours - accoustic neuromas (published in the journal Epidemiology). They found that long term users of mobile phones were four times as likely to develop growths on the side they held the phone, and twice as likely as non-users to develop these benign non-cancerous growths. They saw no increased risk from mobile phone radiation in those who had used mobile phones for less than 10 years. The study was of 150 mobile phone users, compared to 60 in a control group.
March 2003 another study in the International
Journal of
Oncology
suggested
that
mobile
phone
users
had a 30%
increased risk of brain tumours - mainly accoustic neuromas - which
occurred close to the ear used for mobile phone listening. Previous
studies had shown that growth of leukaemia cells could be
increased dramatically after exposure to mobile phone radiation. Although accoustic neuromas do not metastasise (jump to invade other parts of the body) they can create serious problems if intreated. The early symptoms can be hearing loss, loss of balance or noises in one ear - but all these are very common for many other reasons. Advanced growths can invade other nearby areas, causing pressure on the brain.
What
makes these studies difficult to evaluate is that a number of other research
studies into mobile phone radiation have not shown the same findings. And the effects
may be very different depending on the type of electromagnetic
radiation. GSM and GPRS (2.5G) phones use what is known as pulsed
radiation. The levels rise and fall very rapidly. 3G phones on
the other hand use continuous levels. Some research suggests that
pulsed radiation may have a greater effect on cells than constant
exposure, which is important because different studies have used
different types of radiation - perhaps an explanation for some
of the more confusing results.
Short exposure to mobile phone radiation kills
brain cells in rats
Short exposure to Mobile phone radiation - two hours
- has been reported in 2003 to destroy cells in parts of the
brain important for memory, movement and learning, and could possibly
conceivably premature onset of illnesses such as Alzheimers -
although we have no evidence of a similar effect in humans. Lund
University
Hospital Professor Leif Salford says mobile radiation allows harmful
proteins and toxins through the brain barrier in rats. He also
has
found significant degree of damage to brain neurons in adolescent
rats.
He said: "If this effect was to transfer to young mobile users,
the effects could be terrifying. We can see reduced brain reserve
capacity, meaning those who might normally have got Alzheimer's
or dementia in old age could get it much earlier." He used
rats aged 12-26 weeks because their brain cells were still developing
in a similar way to teenagers and younger children. They were exposed
for just 120 minutes to radiation equivalent to typical intensive
mobile phone use. Sections of rat brains were examined 50 days after
exposure. Animals exposed to medium and high level radiation had
many dead neurons in their brains - totally different from rats
which were not exposed to radiation. (published Feb 2003).
The trouble is that similar studies cannot be carried
out in humans because mobile phone radiation exposure would have
to be followed by brain biopsy which can cause epilepsy later,
permanent brain damage, stroke or even death. We can only get
the answer in
humans by doing studies on brain tissue of teenagers killed in
accidents, and comparing brain tissue of heavy, medium, light
and non-users
of mobile phones. In addition, we have yet to see other centres
replicate his work.
Dr Kjell Hansson Mild in Sweden studied radiation
risk in 11,000 mobile telephone users. Symptoms such as
fatigue, headaches, burning sensations on the skin were more
common among
those who made longer mobile phone calls. At the same
time there are a growing number of unconfirmed reports of individuals
whose health has been affected after chronic, frequent use of mobile
phones, presumably from radiation effects on cells. See below
for
SAR data on mobile phone radiation levels. Once again, for every
study with a positive finding of effect on cells, there is another
that has found nothing.
As I say, from a physician's point of view this is
all rather difficult to interpret. The truth is that no one knows
for sure, but it looks as though the health risks for an individual
person with normal patterns of use are extremely low, almost non-existent.
I still use a mobile phone, as do our teenage children, and my
home has a wireless network as well as hands-free local handsets
for
landlines. The only steps we have taken are to mount the wireless
LAN connection a few feet from where anyone sits, and to encourage
our younger children not to spend their entire lives chatting away
on mobiles - there are other reasons for that too such as homework
and of course cost.
As long ago as June 1998 the Lancet reported that
radiation from mobiles caused an increase of blood pressure. Dr
Braune and colleagues in Freiburg, Germany, attached mobiles to
the right side of the heads of ten volunteers. The phones
were switched on and off by remote control without the volunteers
knowing - so that any radiation effect could be separated from the
psychological effect of holding a mobile phone. Their blood
pressure rose each time by between 5-10mm Hg, probably from an electromagnetic
radiation induced constrictive effect on blood vessels from the
mobile phones.
This level of increase would be more than enough
to trigger a stroke or heart attack in someone at severe risk,
but is harmless in the vast majority of people. This
was the first firm evidence that mobile phone radiation could directly
alter cell function in the human body. But what about longer
term radiation effects of using mobile phones? Could mobile
phone exposure trigger cancer? Birth defects? What
about the health risks not just from mobile phones but the
transmitter
masts?
This work on human subjects follows other ealier mobile
phone studies in animals suggesting that electromagnetic radiation
from mobiles may cause brain tumours, cancer, anxiety, memory loss
and serious birth defects. But different studies have contradicted
many of these findings. As in so much of cutting edge science, there
are real uncertainties about mobile phone radiation. Remember it
has taken 30 years to work out the side-effects of oral contraceptives
and even that is still debated. Here are some of the more negative
reports.
An Australian study found that mice exposed to pulsed
digital mobile phone radiation over 18 months had twice the risk
of developing cancers. An American study found that learning and
short term memory were impaired after 45 minutes exposure to electromagnetic
radiation from mobile phones in rats. And other studies of electromagnetic
radiation on pregnant mice suggest that high exposure to mobile
phones can affect intra-uterine development, confirmed recently
in chicks (double birth defects, see below). The effects of
mobile phone radiation in human embryo development are unknown.
Meanwhile, The European Union is drawing up
guidelines for electromagnetic radiation exposure of all types.
Mobile
phones vary on radiation dosage: Following figures are for
European mobile phones in SARS (watts of radiation from mobile phones
per kg of brain), antenna extended / retracted. Safety is
10 watts/kg. Lowest radiation levels from phones with hidden
antennae or ones extended away from head. Below that are SAR
levels for US mobile phones. Note that there are different
figures for SAR levels around for the same mobile phones, I suspect
because some are official company data, and others independent lab
measurements and that there may be other variables according to
the exact conditions. For example the first table below shows
big SAR phone radiation differences depending on the position of
the aerial.
List of some European mobile phone
SAR levels
Manufacturer
and Model
Extended/retracted
SAR level
1.
Nokia 2110
0.44/0.25
2.
Nokia 5110
0.37
3.
Nokia 6110
0.29
4.
Bosch World 718
0.28/0.33
5.
Ericsson GA628
0.26
6.
Hagenuk Global Handy
0.03
7.
Motorola Star V3688
0.02
8.
Motorola Star TAC 70
0.02/0.01
(Source: National Physical Laboratory UK.)
List of top 10 highest radiation
mobile phones in the US - SAR
(Source of both tables above: official manufacturers
SAR data sent to FCC, and then collated by DoMode.com
and CNET.com.
These figures may not be 100% accurate and Global Change Ltd cannot
take responsibility for them.)
The greatest
risk to a mobile phone user is from an accident while distracted
- particularly when driving. This risk is likely to
be many tens of thousands of times greater than a radiation
hazard.
Evidence from
human studies of mobile phone radiation is now of raised
blood
pressure, direct brain warming (very mild) as well as of
mild sensations in heavy users. These effects are short term
and unlikely to cause any health problems in the vast majority
of users even over many years.
There is no evidence
so far of mobile phone radiation causing tumour formation
or memory impairment in humans - may be memory enhancing.
Much more research needed.
Mice, rats and
chickens may be more sensitive to electromagnetic effects
from mobile phones on their cells. So results on animals
may not be valid for humans. We just don't know.
Further human
studies of mobile phone health risks are urgently needed,
because of the very large numbers using mobiles.
Whatever effects
of using mobile phones there may be in humans, the health
risk to an individual user from electromagnetic radiation
is likely to be very, very small indeed, but it is possible
that some individuals may
be more prone to radiation side effects than others.
Expect large numbers
of people to come forward with claims that a wide variety
of conditions have been triggered or made worse by use of
mobile phones. These claims will be extremely difficult
to prove. Even if a link is shown, proving that a particular
case was directly related to heavy mobile phone use is almost
impossible. This has been the case, for example, over
Gulf War syndrome, or reactions to MMR vaccine, or the debates
over passive smoking, or clustering of leukaemia cases near
power stations.
If the case
against mobiles were to become established in people's minds,
expect many lawsuits alleging that other sources of electromagnetic
radiation
have also damaged health or caused birth defects - for example
electricity
sub-stations, computers, generators, minicab aerials.
Some manufacturers
already sell radiation
shields for mobiles, reducing electromagnetic radiation
to the head. Many or most of these seem to be based on very
doubtful claims.
Moving the mobile
phone aerial eight inches from the head, instead of one inch,
would dramatically reduce exposure - dose falls to 1/64th
as the square of the distance.
Good quality,
screened hands free mobile phone kits, allowing earpiece
and microphone attached
to
phone
in pocket, massively reduce brain exposure to electromagnetic
radiation, but may increase exposure to the pelvis and the
unborn - again with significance unknown!
Other News
UK government report says now clear that mobile phone radiation can affect brain function. Now that 20,000 radio
masts in the UK are active it means that everyone is being subjected
to constant low level electromagnetic radiation. Sunday Times
12 March 2000.
However, the levels from phone masts are suprisingly
tiny. A single mobile phone can generate a watt of radiation, which
it needs to get a signal the long distance to the nearest mast.
However, a mast only needs in many cases a power of around 8 watts
to handle all the calls in the area. It has a physical advantage
because of great height, and the radio spectrum from the mast is
wide enough for it to manage all the calls with a low wattage.
It is strange quirk of physics. And because the radiation dose
falls dramatically with every 10 centimetres of distance, you can
see that the radiation exposure of people living close to a mast
is likely to be a minute fraction of the dose if they were making
a mobile call themselves.
New research suggests living downwind from an electricity
pylon can increase the risk of lung cancer significantly.
Ionisation of the air causes microscopic pollution particles to
become charged so they stick to the lining of the lung. Once
again though this has been contradicted by other research. September
2000
The Nokia 3210 has a rather high
SAR. SAR of 25 new cell-phone models:
Manufacturer: Model: SAR: (*)
Motorola Star
Tac 130 (A) 0.10 +
Motorola Star
Tac 130 (B) 0.38 +
Nokia 8810 0.22
--
Sony CMD-C1 0.55
--
Ericsson I8888
World 0.60 +
Ericsson S868
0.77 +
Nokia 6110 0.87
--
Ericsson A1018s
0.88 +
Ericsson SH888
0.90 +
Trium Galaxy (A)
0.93 ++
Trium Galaxy (B)
1.16 ++
Motorola cd930
0.94 +
Panasonic EB-G520
0.95 --
Alcatel One Touch
max (A) 0.97 -
Alcatel One Touch
max (B) 1.29 -
Ericsson T18s
0.97 +
Nokia 6150 0.98
--
Panasonic EB-GD70
0.99 --
Philips Savy 1.11
-
Bosch GSM 909
1.13 -
Nokia 3210 1.14
--
Motorola cd920
1.17 +
Nokia 3110 1.24
--
Philips Genie
1800 (A) 1.26 +
Philips Genie
1800 (B) 1.41 +
Siemens C25 1.33
--
Philips Genie
900 (A) 1.52 +
Philips Genie
900 (B) 2.67 +
Motorola v3688
1.58 +
Bosch GSM 908
1.59 -
SAR in W/kg
(A) = with extended antenna (B) = antenna not extended
(*) = Warnings about possible radiation hazards in
the user manual:
Mobile phone increases the temperature of the brain
(Sciences et vie, No. 949 10/96) and raises blood pressure (publication
of the University of Fribourg in the Lancet, 06/07 - 98.
The next techno-wave: RFID - 10 billion wireless tagging devices
Wal-Mart races ahead with Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFIDs): electronic barcodes for manufacturing, distribution and retail - major concerns about data leakage, privacy and civil rights
Future impact of global warming on human life Truth about global warming research. How consumers, business and governments will respond. Opportunities / threats from climate change.
Blogs - web / video diaries on trends / management by Dr Patrick Dixon
Video / Articles by Patrick Dixon - 24 million requests in year - 11 million visitors - Conference Speech/Event? 
