WHO study says long-term wireless use increases cancer risk

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jodd Readick <jodd () usercentric net>
Date: October 13, 2004 5:26:58 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: IP ? WHO study says long-term wireless use increases cancer 
risk

For IP if you wish

 

 

WHO study says long-term wireless use increases cancer risk
Scientists say more research needed
By Jeffrey Silva <javascript:mailToObfuscate('jsilva','crain.com')>
 Oct 13, 2004
 WASHINGTON-A new World Health Organization-backed study says long-term 
mobile-phone use increases the risk of cancer, but scientists said 
follow-up research is needed before it can be determined whether 
wireless handsets pose a health danger to consumers.

 The Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institute in 
Stockholm, Sweden, today said research showed 10 or more years of 
mobile-phone use increased the risk of acoustic neuroma on the side of 
the head where the phone was usually used.

Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor-occurring in less than one adult per 
100,000 per year-on the auditory nerve that grows slowly over a period 
of years before it is diagnosed.

The new findings appear similar to those previously reported by Swedish 
scientist Lennart Hardell, whose research was attacked by industry 
lawyers and ultimately discarded by U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake 
two years ago in her dismissal of an $800 million cancer lawsuit 
against Motorola Inc. and others.

The mobile-phone industry, which has been successful in health 
litigation to date, faces six brain-cancer suits that Blake sent back 
to the District of Columbia Superior Court in July. In addition, 
industry is awaiting a ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of 
Appeals in Richmond, Va., on Blake's rejection of five class-action 
suits seeking to force wireless carriers to supply subscribers with 
radiation-reducing headsets.

"It's potentially interesting. We're glad to see this research being 
done and look forward to discussing it with the other government 
agencies," said Bruce Romano, associate chief of the Office of 
Engineering and Technology at the Federal Communications Commission.

"It certainly piques our interest," said Romano, whose agency next year 
is expected to tackle a new radio frequency radiation exposure standard 
that some claim is less stringent than current guidelines.

 

 

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