Background context: Mobile phones
[Archive CMO Feature - Last updated: 31/08/05]
Mobile phones are held next to the head when they are in use and this generally leaves their radiating antennas around 1-2 cm from the head and behind the ear. Typical emitted powers are up to 250 mW (i.e. a quarter of a watt), and the frequencies used are around 900, 1800 and 2000 MHz (megahertz).
Under these conditions, exposures have the potential to approach internationally accepted guidelines, and it becomes particularly important to carry out testing to ensure the guidelines are not exceeded. Exposure data are published routinely for handsets and these show that typical exposures range from 25-50% of the guidelines.
There has been much research on mobile phones and more is continuing. Research to date has not shown any hard evidence that the health of the public, in general, is being affected adversely by the use of mobile phone technologies.
On 30 August 2005, the Institute of Cancer Research published new results from the largest ever investigation into mobile phone use and brain tumours. The study, part funded by the Department of Health, specifically looked at incidences of acoustic neuroma, a nervous system tumour that occurs close to where mobile phones are held to the head.
The report found no relation between the risk of acoustic neuroma and the number of years for which mobile phones had been used, the time since first use, the total hours of use or the total number of calls, nor were there any relations separately for analogue or digital phone use. It concluded that there is no substantial risk of developing a tumour in the first 10 years of mobile phone use. An increased risk after longer term use, however, could not be ruled out as mobile phones have only been used widely over the past decade.
The ICR report supports the National Radiological Protection Board (now the Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency) review in 2004, but there is no room for complacency and DH still recommends a precautionary approach to their use in all under 16s.
Ongoing research is being carried out, including the £7.4 million UK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR), funded by Government jointly with industry, to increase the understanding of the possible health effects of mobile phone technologies.
