July 24, 2008
Cellphones May Endanger Your Health, Pitt Cancer Center Director Warns His Staff
The director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute sent a memo yesterday to his employees saying that, despite many published studies saying otherwise, cellphone use could be hazardous.
Ronald B. Herberman, director of the institute and a tumor immunologist, advised staff members to keep conversations short, to hold phones away from their heads, and not to allow children to use mobile phones. He said that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the phones could cause “possible adverse health effects including cancer.”
Dr. Herberman based his memo on the recommendations of an international panel of scientists, on which he served. The panel reviewed unpublished data.
The studies that have been published have produced conflicting results, but the largest studies found no link between cellphone use and cancer, the Associated Press reported.—Lila Guterman
Posted on Thursday July 24, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Texting good. Talking bad.
— Douglas Jul 25, 09:01 AM #
This is one of the reasons I have never owned a cell phone. It always seemed unsafe to have something which eminates electromagnetic radiation so close to one’s brain.
— Mark Smith Jul 25, 10:10 AM #
You can advise people to review the Bioinitiative Report (www.bioinitiative.org). It includes a major review of all international cell phone studies, including many that do show a risk of brain tumors and acoustic neuromas with 10 or more years of use. Most studies that DO NOT report increased brain tumor risk looked at fewer than 10 years of cell phone use, so they are not good indicators. Given that brain tumors caused by x-rays, for example, can take 15 to 20 years to appear, it is remarkable and worrisome that ANY risk is seen this early, and may indicate that cell phones are a very effective carcinogen. The risk is not trivial either. It is now reported as a doubling of risk. If we wait for conclusive evidence, many more people will be at risk. Is it reasonable to wait for proof, and let children today be the “experiment” that produces terrible results tomorrow? Cindy Sage, Sage Associates and Co-Editor of the BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields.
— Cindy Sage Jul 25, 12:29 PM #
One thing that should be noted is that large doses of ionizing radiation (e.g. X-rays) is what causes cancer. That is why doctors limit the number of X-rays you receive. Cell phones do NOT emit ionizing radiation, instead they emit non-ionizing radiation, just like your television, microwave, car radio, head phones, cord less phone, wireless computers.
I think that any increase in cancers is most likely due to the recent technological advances in the ability to screen such cancers.
This whole issue reminds me of the debate about the biological effects that the magnetic fields that electrical power lines emit
— Michael Jul 25, 01:20 PM #
Ha, the cell phones hurt they not me never have.
— Lori Jul 25, 01:44 PM #
Use a cell phone with a good speakerphone mic. I can hold my iPhone more than a foot away and still be clear as a bell on the other end.
I once told someone I was talking to them via a speaker phone and they commented that “it must be one hell of a speaker phone”. They had no idea it was a speakerphone. If you don’t like the iPhone I’m sure there are other phones out there with good speakerphones.
Keeping the device away from you is the best way to lower exposure. You could do a study to prove that, or you could just keep the thing away from you.
— Brandon Jul 25, 04:12 PM #
Hmmm, maybe cell phones are the next step in the evolutionary process – Mother Earth’s way of eliminating overcrowding.
— Kyle David Jul 25, 05:24 PM #
Seems to me to be the logical outcome of a medical profession that’s gone from “Do no harm” to “Do what will result in the least likelihood of a lawsuit”.
— ZS Jul 25, 06:11 PM #