Samsung SGH-X496ZSAGEN - Manual (Page 242)

Sect
ion 4
242
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 phones 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.
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 ten 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