Panasonic EB-G51U - Manual (Page 94)

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association was found between mobile phone use and one rare type of
glioma, neuroepithelliomatous tumors. It is possible with multiple
comparisons of the same sample that this association occurred by
chance.
Moreover, the risk did not increase with how often the mobile phone was
used, or the length of the calls. In fact, the risk actually decreased with
cumulative hours of mobile phone use. Most cancer causing agents
increase risk with increased exposure. An ongoing study of brain cancers
by the National Cancer Institute is expected to bear on the accuracy and
repeatability of these results.
1
2. Researchers conducted a large battery of laboratory tests to assess the
effect of exposure to mobile phone RF on genetic material. These included
tests for several kinds of abnormalities, including mutations, chromosomal
aberrations, DNA strand breaks, and structural changes in the genetic
material of blood cells called lymphocytes. None of the tests showed any
effect from the RF except for the micronucleus assay, which detects
structural effects on the genetic material. The cells in this assay showed
changes after exposure to simulated cell phone radiation, but only after 24
hours of exposure. It is possible that exposing the test cells to radiation for
this long resulted in heating. Since this assay is known to be sensitive to
heating, heat alone could have caused the abnormalities to occur. The
data already in the literature on the response of the micronucleus assay to
RF are conflicting. Thus, followup research is necessary.
2
FDA is currently working with government, industry, and academic
groups to ensure the proper follow-up to these industry-funded
research findings. Collaboration with the Cellular Telecommunications
Industry Association (CTIA) in particular is expected to lead to FDA
providing research recommendations and scientific oversight of new
CTIA-funded research based on such recommendations. Two other
studies of interest have been reported recently in the literature:
1. Two groups of 18 people were exposed to simulated mobile phone signals
under laboratory conditions while they performed cognitive function test.
There were no changes in the subjects’ ability to recall words, numbers,
or pictures, or in their spatial memory, but they were able to make choices
more quickly in one visual test when they were exposed to simulated
mobile phone signals. This was the only change noted among more than
20 variables compared.
3
2. In study of 209 brain tumor cases and 425 matched controls, there was no
increased risk of brain tumors associated with mobile phone use. When
tumors did exist in certain locations, however, they were more likely to be
on the side of the head where the mobile phone was used. Because this
occurred in only a small number of cases, the increased likelihood was too
small to be statistically significant.
4
In summary, we do not have enough information at this point to assure
the public that there are, or are not, any low incident health problems
associated with use of mobile phones. FDA continues to work with all
parties, including other federal agencies and industry, to assure that
research is undertaken to provide the necessary answers to the
outstanding questions about the safety of mobile phones.
What is known about cases of human cancer that have been
reported in users of handheld mobile phones?
Some people who have used mobile phones have been diagnosed with
brain cancer. But it is important to understand that this type of cancer also
occurs among people who have not used mobile phones. In fact, brain
cancer occurs in the U.S. population at a rate of about 6 new cases per
100,000 people each year. At that rate, assuming 80 million users of
mobile phones (a number increasing at a rate of about 1 million per
month), about 4800 cases of brain cancer would be expected each year
among those 80 million people, whether or not they used their phones.
Thus it is not possible to tell whether any individual’s cancer arose
because of the phone, or whether it would have happened anyway. A key
question is whether the risk of getting a particular form of cancer is greater
among people who use mobile phones than among the rest of the
population. One way to answer that question is to compare the usage of
mobile phones among people with brain cancer with the use of mobile
phones among appropriately matched people without brain cancer. This
is called a case-control study. The current case-control study of brain
cancers by the National Cancer Institute, as well as the follow-up research
to be sponsored by industry, will begin to generate this type of information.
What is FDA’s role concerning the safety of mobile phones?
Under the law, FDA does not review the safety of radiation-emitting
consumer products such as mobile phones before marketing, as it does
with new drugs or medical devices. However, the agency has authority to
take action if mobile phones are shown to emit radiation at a level that is
hazardous to the user. In such a case, FDA could require the manufacturers
of mobile phones to notify users of the health hazard and to repair, replace