WHO finds possible cancer risk in cellphone use

By eGov Innovation Editors | Jun 3, 2011

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An angency under the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted by cellphones as potentially carcinogenic to humans.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said in its website it is based on findings of an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use.

"This has relevance for public health, particularly for users of mobile phones, as the number of users is large and growing, particularly among young adults and children," IARC said in a media statement. The world has an estimated five billion mobile phone users.

IARC said working group of 31 scientists from 14 countries met in Lyon, France for eight days in May to assess this potential carcinogenic hazard and the group's assessments will be published as Volume 102 of the IARC monographs, which will be the fifth volume in the series to focus on physical agents.

There have already been mounting concerns about the possibility of health effects resulting from use of wireless communication devices in the last few years.

Dr. Kurt Straif, Head of IARC, explained in a video message that the findings have to be seen in the full context of the IARC evaluation scheme.

"Group one means it is established that it (radiofrequency electromagnetic fields) is causing cancer in humans. We are two steps below, which is 2B (possible), that at the time we cannot confidently say that its clearly causing cancer in humans," he said.

In a virtual press briefing held by IARC to announce the findings, Dr. Jonathan Sameet, chairperson of the IARC working group, also explained that the working group reached the classification based on its review of  human evidence coming from epidemiological studies.

"Further research will be needed. Many many people around the world are using mobile phones, and as use patterns continue to grow, we can anticipate an even larger population will be exposed longer," he said.