No Evidence of Mobile Phones Causing Brain Cancer, Concludes WHO-Backed Study
A WHO-commissioned study found no link between mobile phone use and brain cancer risk. An analysis of 63 studies published between 1994 and 2022 found no increased risks. Radiofrequency effects from mobile phones, televisions, baby monitors, and radar systems were investigated.
Despite widespread use of wireless technology, the incidence of brain cancer has not increased, according to a study published on Tuesday. This conclusion applies even to people who have long phone conversations or have been using mobile phones for more than a decade.
The comprehensive analysis included 63 studies conducted between 1994 and 2022, which were evaluated by 11 researchers from ten different countries, including experts from Australia's radiation protection authority. The research focused on the impact of radiofrequency, a type of radiation utilised in mobile phones, as well as in television, baby monitors, and radar systems, explained co-author Mark Elwood, a professor of cancer epidemiology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Elwood stated, "None of the major questions studied showed increased risks." The review examined brain cancers in both adults and children, along with tumours of the pituitary gland, salivary glands, and leukemia, assessing the potential risks associated with mobile phone usage, base stations, transmitters, and occupational exposure. Findings on other types of cancer will be presented separately.
This study aligns with previous research in the field. Various international health organisations, including the WHO, have previously stated that there is no conclusive evidence of harmful health effects from the radiation emitted by mobile phones, while emphasising the need for further investigation. Currently, this type of radiation is classified as "possibly carcinogenic" (group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a classification used when a definitive link cannot be ruled out.
The IARC advisory group has recommended a prompt re-evaluation of this classification in light of new data available since the previous assessment in 2011. The WHO plans to release an updated evaluation in the first quarter of the coming year.
WHO-commissioned study finds no association between mobile phone use and brain cancer risk
Analysis of 63 studies spanning from 1994 to 2022 reveals no increased risks
Radiofrequency effects from mobile phones, TV, baby monitors, and radar systems were assessed
Source: REUTERS