User:Meob3471354/Mobile phones cause cancer: WHO

{{Abandoned|June 12, 2011}} {{tasks|news|re-review}} {{merge|Mobile-phone use and cancer: What's the link?}}

{{date|June 1, 2011}}

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified newer global cancer risks caused by the excessive use of mobile phones and the increased wireless technology within our society. The first formal ruling on the danger of mobile phones comes after 31 scientists from 14 countries spent 10 days evaluating all current data. Senior scientist Robert Baan, in charge of the World Health Organisation (WHO) investigation, said the exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields from handsets could be possibly carcinogenic, in the same IARC category Group 2B as diesel fuel, chloroform and working as a firefighter. Dr Jonathan Samet, chairman of the IARC was quick to clarify that although not in the same category as definite causes of cancer, such as cigarettes and alcohol, there is an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer.

"One study showed a 40% increased risk for gliomas in the highest category of heavy users (reported average: 30 minutes per day over a 10 year period)”

WHO IARC Press Release

Wireless phone use is “about as risky as prolonged exposure to some herbicides or working in the printing or dry-cleaning industries” Dr Samut said.

The study was based on a limited amount of data using older generation phones said to cause more damage than the newer 3G phones.

Bruce Armstrong, a cancer epidemiologist from The University of Sydney said that exposure to radio frequency emissions is lower with newer generation phones. "The energy absorbed when using 3G phones is quite a lot lower than when using a GSM (global system for mobile communications) phone," Armstrong said.

The agency didn’t issue guidelines for mobile phone use and said more studies are required. With an approximate 5 billion mobile phones in use around the world, recent concerns have enhanced the requirement for research studies.

Sources

• Leigh Dayton and Matthew Miller. "3G the go after cancer fears raised over the use of mobiles" — The Australian, June 2, 2011
• Jeff Waters. "WHO warns against excessive mobile phone use" — ABC AM with Tony Eastley, June 1, 2011
• "Cell Phones May Cause Cancer: WHO" — Bloomberg, June 1, 2011
• Press Release: "IARC classifies radiofrequency electromegnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans" — World Health Organization, May 31, 2011
• Laurie Tarkan. "World Health Organization: Cell Phones Possibly Cause Cancer" — The CBS interactive Business network Australian Edition, May 31, 2011