LG CU320 - Manual (Page 88)

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Safety Guidelines
4. What are the results of the research done already?
The research done thus far has produced conflicting results,
and many studies have suffered from flaws in their research
methods. Animal experiments investigating the effects of
radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures characteristic of
wireless phones have yielded conflicting results that often
cannot be repeated in other laboratories. A few animal studies,
however, have suggested that low levels of RF could accelerate
the development of cancer in laboratory animals. However,
many of the studies that showed increased tumor development
used animals that had been genetically engineered or treated
with cancer causing chemicals so as to be pre-disposed to
develop cancer in the absence of RF exposure. Other studies
exposed the animals to RF for up to 22 hours per day. These
conditions are not similar to the conditions under which people
use wireless phones, so we don’t know with certainty what the
results of such studies mean for human health. Three large
epidemiology studies have been published since December
2000. Between them, the studies investigated any possible
association between the use of wireless phones and primary
brain cancer, glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, tumors
of the brain or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers. None
of the studies demonstrated the existence of any harmful health
effects from wireless phone RF exposures. However, none of
the studies can answer questions about long-term exposures,
since the average period of phone use in these studies was
around three years.
5. What research is needed to decide whether RF exposure
from wireless phones poses a health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and epidemiological
studies of people actually using wireless phones would
provide some of the data that are needed. Lifetime animal
exposure studies could be completed in a few years.
However, very large numbers of animals would be needed to
provide reliable proof of a cancer promoting effect if one
exists. Epidemiological studies can provide data that is
directly applicable to human populations, but 10 or more
years follow-up may be needed to provide answers about
some health effects, such as cancer. This is because the
interval between the time of exposure to a cancer-causing
agent and the time tumors develop - if they do- may be many,
many years. The interpretation of epidemiological studies is
hampered by difficulties in measuring actual RF exposure
during day-to-day use of wireless phones. Many factors
affect this measurement, such as the angle at which the
phone is held, or which model of phone is used.
6. What is the FDA doing to find out more about the possible
health effects of wireless phone RF?
The FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology
Program and with groups of investigators around the world
to ensure that high priority animal studies are conducted to
address important questions about the effects of exposure to
radiofrequency energy (RF). The FDA has been a leading