"[A]ll forms of electromagnetic energy are referred to as the electromagnetic 'spectrum.' Radio waves and microwaves emitted by transmitting antennas are one form of electromagnetic energy. They are collectively referred to as 'radiofrequency' or 'RF' energy or radiation...

Biological effects can result from exposure to RF energy. Biological effects that result from heating of tissue by RF energy are often referred to as 'thermal' effects. It has been known for many years that exposure to very high levels of RF radiation can be harmful due to the ability of RF energy to heat biological tissue rapidly. This is the principle by which microwave ovens cook food...

At relatively low levels of exposure to RF radiation, i.e., levels lower than those that would produce significant heating; the evidence for production of harmful biological effects is ambiguous and unproven...

There is no scientific evidence to date that proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other health effects, including headaches, dizziness or memory loss...

The FCC's exposure guidelines specify limits for human exposure to RF emissions from hand-held mobile phones in terms of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), a measure of the rate of absorption of RF energy by the body. The safe limit for a mobile phone user is an SAR of 1.6 watts per kg (1.6 W/kg), averaged over one gram of tissue, and compliance with this limit must be demonstrated before FCC approval is granted for marketing of a phone in the United States."

Oct. 9, 2009 - Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 

"When evaluating the possible health effects of mobile phone radiation, as with any other environmental factor, no matter naturally occurring or man-made, there are needed several types of scientific evidence such as (i) the possible mechanism how the effect is induced in living organism, (ii) in vitro laboratory studies that confirm the existence of the biophysical and biochemical mechanism of the effect, (iii) animal studies, including long term effects and toxicology, (iv) human volunteer studies, and (v) epidemiological evidence of the effect on human population at large...

In case of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the mobile phones the scientific evidence is contradictory. In each area of investigation (epidemiology, human volunteers, animal studies, laboratory in vitro experiments and biophysical mechanisms) there are both positive and negative studies and by the sheer numbers, the negative studies outweigh the positive ones. This is commonly referred as the 'weight of the evidence' that is pointing out to the no-effect-conclusion because the outcome of the majority of published research studies is negative...

In my opinion epidemiological evidence is not sufficiently reliable to conclude that human health either is or is not at risk. I think that at this time any statement suggesting that there 'is a health risk' or that there 'is no health risk', based on the epidemiological evidence, is premature and not reliably supported by the available scientific evidence. However, even though the data are of insufficient quality to draw reliable conclusions, the existence of data suggesting the possibility of increased risk of brain cancer is, in my opinion, sufficient to advice precaution and to request further research to clarify this issue...

The purpose is not to discourage people from using the mobile phone technology. However, we should remember that we have still remaining large gaps in the knowledge of the mobile phone radiation effects on humans. We urgently need well designed comprehensive molecular level human volunteer studies to close these gaps in the knowledge. In the meantime, it is wise to support the use of precautionary measures in every day dealings with mobile phones in order to, whenever reasonably possible, limit the body exposure to mobile phone radiation."

Sep. 14, 2009 - Dariusz Leszczynski, PhD, DSc 

"[I]f you take someone who's smoking cigarettes and starts smoking cigarettes at 12, you don't expect them to develop lung cancer at 22. You expect them to develop lung cancer at 42.

When you have an environmental toxin it takes 20, 30 years to develop a cancer, usually, from that toxin. We've only had studies on the use of cell phones and brain cancer for 10 years, so we don't know what the impact of the use of cell phones will be over 20, 30, 40 years, particularly on our children, who are starting to use cell phones as early as seven and eight years old. And we also know that a young brain is much more susceptible to the dangers of cell phones."

Mar. 24, 2009 - Keith Black, MD 

"The dramatic worldwide increase in use of cellular telephones has prompted concerns regarding potential harmful effects of exposure to radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Of particular concern has been the potential carcinogenic effects from the RF-EMF emissions of cell phones. However, epidemiologic studies of the association between cell phone use and prevalence of brain tumors have been inconsistent (some, but not all, studies showed increased risk), and the issue remains unresolved.

The objective of this study was to assess if acute cell phone exposure affected regional activity in the human brain...

These results provide evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of RF-EMFs from acute cell phone exposures. The findings of increased [glucose] metabolism in regions closest to the antenna during acute cell phone exposure suggest that brain absorption of RF-EMFs may enhance the excitability of brain tissue...

In summary, this study provides evidence that in humans RF-EMF exposure from cell phone use affects brain function, as shown by the regional increases in metabolic activity... Further studies are needed to assess if these effects could have potential long-term harmful consequences."

Feb. 23, 2011 - Nora D. Volkow, MD 

"In May, 2011, 30 scientists from 14 countries [the Working Group] met at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, to assess the carcinogenicity of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF)...

Human exposures to RF-EMF (frequency range 30 kHz–300 GHz) can occur from use of personal devices (eg, mobile telephones, cordless phones, Bluetooth, and amateur radios), from occupational sources (eg, highfrequency dielectric and induction heaters, and high-powered pulsed radars), and from environmental sources such as mobile-phone base stations, broadcast antennas [including tv and radio], and medical applications...

EMFs generated by RF sources couple with the body, resulting in induced electric and magnetic fields and associated currents inside tissues. The most important factors that determine the induced fields are the distance of the source from the body and the output power level...

Holding a mobile phone to the ear to make a voice call can result in high specific RF energy absorption-rate (SAR) values in the brain, depending on the design and position of the phone and its antenna in relation to the head, how the phone is held, the anatomy of the head, and the quality of the link between the base station and phone. When used by children, the average RF energy deposition is two times higher in the brain and up to ten times higher in the bone marrow of the skull, compared with mobile phone use by adults. Use of hands-free kits lowers exposure to the brain to below 10% of the exposure from use at the ear, but it might increase exposure to other parts of the body.

Epidemiological evidence for an association between RF-EMF and cancer comes from cohort, casecontrol, and time-trend studies. The populations in these studies were exposed to RF-EMF in occupational settings, from sources in the general environment, and from use of wireless (mobile and cordless) telephones, which is the most extensively studied exposure source...

The Working Group... reviewed many studies with endpoints relevant to mechanisms of carcinogenesis, including genotoxicity, effects on immune function, gene and protein expression, cell signalling, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Studies of the possible effects of RF-EMF on the blood-brain barrier and on a variety of effects in the brain were also considered. Although there was evidence of an effect of RF-EMF on some of these endpoints, the Working Group reached the overall conclusion that these results provided only weak mechanistic evidence relevant to RF-EMF induced cancer in humans.

In view of the limited evidence in humans and in experimental animals, the Working Group classified RF-EMF as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' (Group 2B). This evaluation was supported by a large majority of Working Group members."

June 22, 2011 - International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 
"Carcinogenicity of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields" (83KB)  

"X-rays and UV rays carry enough energy that they can physically rearrange DNA structure (and that ain't good!). Visible light is not dangerous because it does not have enough energy to damage DNA...

What about cell phones? They typically broadcast between 800 Mhz and 2.1 GHz, which corresponds to an energy that is one million times less than visible light...

The only effect of such low-energy radiation is a tiny amount of heating of the ear and brain matter - about one one-thousandth as much as the brain heating caused by wearing a hat...

The nature of light and of our bodies suggest that cell phone radiation cannot cause cancer, no matter how much is present. Similarly, radio waves, TV transmissions, microwaves and the radiation from power lines are all too feeble to cause DNA damage, and, hence, cancer.

Tell your friends -- feel free to call them!"

Aug. 3, 2008 - Eric S. Swanson, PhD 

"Fears that cell phones cause cancer are groundless. There is not a shred of evidence that the electromagnetic radiation from your cell phones causes harm, much less that from the wiring in the walls of your house, your hair dryer, electric blanket, or the power distribution wires nearby.

We know exactly what happens to energy from any of these sources when it meets the atoms and molecules in your body, and that energy cannot cause cancer. There is no known way that this energy can cause any cancer, nor is there any unknown way that this energy can cause any cancer...

We can all be confident that any epidemiological study that purports to show that cell phone radiation causes any cancer must have at least one mistake."

June 10, 2010 - Bernard Leikind, PhD 

"Many people are concerned that cell phone radiation will cause cancer or other serious health hazards. The weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems.

Cell phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy (RF). Over the past 15 years, scientists have conducted hundreds of studies looking at the biological effects of the radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones. While some researchers have reported biological changes associated with RF energy, these studies have failed to be replicated. The majority of studies published have failed to show an association between exposure to radiofrequency from a cell phone and health problems.

The low levels of RF cell phones emit while in use are in the microwave frequency range. They also emit RF at substantially reduced time intervals when in the stand-by mode. Whereas high levels of RF can produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low level RF that does not produce heating effects causes no known adverse health effects."

Oct. 1, 2009 - US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

"I personally dislike cell phones, but can their use lead to cancer?

All known cancer-inducing agents—including [ionizing] radiation, certain chemicals, and a few viruses—act by breaking chemical bonds, producing mutant strands of DNA. Electromagnetic radiation [the kind produced by cell phones] is absorbed by molecules as discrete packets of energy called 'photons.' The energy of a photon is determined by the wavelength; the shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy. Not until the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum is reached, beyond visible light, beyond infrared and far, far beyond microwaves, do photons have sufficient energy to break chemical bonds. It's a little like trying to hit an object across a river with a stone... it won't matter how many stones you throw if you can't throw that far. Microwave photons heat tissue, but they do not come close to the energy needed to break chemical bonds, no matter how intense the radiation...

Regardless of how convincing the evidence exonerating cell phones may be, there will continue to be those who will argue that the issue has not been completely settled."

Feb. 7, 2001 - Robert L. Park, PhD 

"Since the [1998] publication of the ICNIRP 'Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz)' many scientific studies of the effects of such fields have been published...

For [Radio] frequencies above 100 kHz, including frequencies used for modern wireless communications, several major national and international research programs have been completed recently...

[I]t is the opinion of ICNIRP that the scientific literature published since the 1998 guidelines has provided no evidence of any adverse effects below the basic restrictions and does not necessitate an immediate revision of its guidance on limiting exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields...

With regard to non-thermal interactions, it is in principle impossible to disprove their possible existence but the plausibility of the various non-thermal mechanisms that have been proposed is very low. In addition, the recent in vitro and animal genotoxicity and carcinogenicity studies are rather consistent overall and indicate that such effects are unlikely at low levels of exposure...

Many epidemiological studies initiated recently have focused primarily on possible biological and adverse health conditions that might be associated with the operation of modern telecommunication systems. The Interphone Study, a multi-country coordinated casecontrol study, addresses possible cancer risks due to the relatively high local exposure of the user’s head when using mobile phones. The pooled analysis of all national data is not yet published. However, individual national and multinational results published thus far do not indicate an elevation of the risk of cancers in the head with cell phones within 10 years of first use."

May 2009 - International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 

"Numerous government agencies and professional organizations have reviewed the science related to potential health effects from using wireless phones. While the specific conclusions vary, all of the reports that assess the evidence using multidisciplinary panels and a comprehensive approach reach similar conclusions; the current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that wireless phones cause cancer or other adverse health effects...

Based on my review of the epidemiologic studies and consideration of experimental data in animals, I agree with the conclusions of the scientific organizations: The current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that wireless phones cause cancer or other adverse health effects."

Sep. 25, 2008 - Linda S. Erdreich, PhD 

"As an epidemiologist my statement will focus on studies of risk in human populations. It is also important to note on the biologic side that the radio frequency [RF] radiation from cell phones is billions of times lower than the energy of an x-ray. As such, its effect in the body appears to be insufficient to produce the genetic damage typically associated with developing cancer...

In descriptive data from the large networks of population-based registries funded by NCI, there has been no meaningful increase in the incidence of brain or other nervous system cancers from 1987 through 2005, a time period when cell phone use increased 10-fold."

Sep. 14, 2009 - Robert N. Hoover, MD, ScD 

"CTIA and the wireless industry are deeply committed to safety and to providing timely, accurate information to consumers about wireless phones. When learning the facts about cell phones and health-related effects, the industry relies on the conclusions of impartial groups such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Cancer Society, and the National Institute of Health, which have all concluded that the scientific evidence to date does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of wireless phones.

There has been significant research conducted on the issue of whether there is a link between wireless phone use and health effects. Much has been completed and more continues today. In 2000, CTIA and the FDA launched a research initiative, referred to as the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), to examine scientific questions about radiofrequency (RF) energy. The research plan outlined in the CRADA provides that the FDA, not industry, is responsible for the scientific and technical advice for all work in this area.

The CRADA research activities focused on (1) mechanistic studies related to genotoxicity, (2) epidemiologic studies and (3) a review of the science through a science symposium organized by the FDA. The results of this work concluded, 'no association was found between exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation from cell phones and adverse health effects.'"

Sep. 2009 - International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry 

"Cell phone ownership has grown sharply since 1990, average use per subscriber has risen from 140 to 740 minutes a month since 1993, and surveys indicate that as many as 40% of drivers have at some point used their phones while driving - yet aggregate crash rates have fallen substantially over this period...

Our most credible research design suggests that current cell phone use does not result in a measurable increase in vehicular crashes."

July 2007 - Saurabh Bhargava, PhD 
Vikram S. Pathania, PhD 

"Calls to ban mobile phone use while driving may be premature, according to research findings released by Lincoln University.

In a joint study carried out with Bentley College in the United States, researchers concluded that proper training might lessen the negative effects on driver performance associated with mobile phone use.

The study was co-authored by Professor Jacob M. Rose of Lincoln University and United States Bentley College Professor James E. Hunton.

'We concluded that it was the conversation, not the technology that was to blame, and because of this, we can teach people how better to deal with conversation while driving - it is something that can be learned,' says Professor Rose...

[W]hile the research results agree with previous studies that cell phone conversations consume a great deal of attention and produce considerable interference, it also concludes that drivers can learn to control the situation by learning to emphasise safe driving."

Oct. 3, 2005 - Lincoln University 

"In summary, my review of the literature suggests that most studies claiming that there is no link between cell phones and brain tumors are outdated, had methodological concerns, and did not include sufficient numbers of long-term cell phone users to find an effect, since most of these negative studies primarily examined people with only a few years of phone use and did not inquire about cordless phone use. In addition, many studies defined regular cell phone use as 'once a week'...

[S]ome recent studies in Nordic countries, where phones have been used longest, find that persons who have used cell phones for at least a decade have 30% to more than 200% more brain tumors than do those without such use, and only on the side of the head where the user holds his or her phone. To put these numbers in context, this is at least as high an increase as the added risk of breast cancer that women face from long-term use of hormone replacement therapy. Based on these findings and the increased absorption into the brains of the young, the French Ministry of Health advised that children should be discouraged from using cell phones, a position also taken by British, German and other authorities...

RF radiation emitted by cell phones should be considered a potential human health risk...

From my careful review of the evidence, I cannot tell you conclusively that phones cause cancer or other diseases. But, I can tell you that there are published peer reviewed studies that have led me to suspect that long term cell phone use may cause cancer. It should be noted in this regard that worldwide, there are three billion regular cell phone users, including a rapidly growing number of children. If we wait until the human evidence is irrefutable and then act, an extraordinarily large number of people will have been exposed to a technology that has never really been shown to be safe."

Sep. 25, 2008 - Ronald B. Herberman, MD 

"First of all, although the news reports so far do not acknowledge this fact, Interphone is not the only study to find an increased risk in brain tumors with prolonged cell phone use. All studies that have been able to examine people a decade after heavy use began have found increased risk of brain tumors. Second the Interphone study completely ignored the fact that there is a growing experimental literature showing that pulsed microwave-like radiation from modern cell phones disrupts living cells and causes our DNA to become unstable -- signs of cancer and other chronic disease. Third, the Interphone study was delayed close to six years, while authors debated how to present their results. Completed in 2004 and promised by 2005, publication was delayed til now...

After ten years of use, increased risks from tobacco and asbestos were not clearly evident, yet nobody today doubts that we waited far too long before addressing these important health hazards. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we should promote simple precautions to reduce direct exposure to the brain by using headsets, speaker phones and texting. This will protect us from whatever health hazards may emerge decades later and also encourage safer development of this revolutionary technology in the meantime."

May 22, 2010 - Devera L. Davis, PhD, MPH 

"Telecom-funded studies have been reporting highly questionable results in comparison with independent studies. Studies independent of industry consistently show there is a significant risk of brain tumors from cellphone use.

The existing ICNIRP [International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation] and FCC [Federal Communications Commission] exposure limits are based on a false premise that only thermal effects cause harm. In this regard the European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly for a review of the existing exposure limits.

The risk to children is far greater than to adults, and though some government recommendations or guidelines have been published, no mandatory actions have been taken.

Soon, after years of delays, for the first time, partial results from all 13 countries of the Interphone study will be published...

The Telecom industry 'media statement' (AKA press release) and similar messages will do their best to cast doubt about the risk of brain tumors from wireless phone use. But the facts remain. We encourage journalists to report on the independent science, to make the dangers of cellphone use known to the public, and to thoroughly investigate who was responsible for the Interphone design protocol."

Aug. 25, 2009 - International EMF Collaborative 

"It is now well established that cell phone use impairs the driving performance of younger adults.

For example, drivers are more likely to miss critical traffic signals (traffic lights, a vehicle braking in front of the driver, etc.), slower to respond to the signals that they do detect, and more likely to be involved in rear-end collisions when they are conversing on a cell phone. In addition, even when participants direct their gaze at objects in the driving environment, they often fail to 'see' them when they are talking on a cell phone because attention has been directed away from the external environment and toward an internal,cognitive context associated with the phone conversation...

[W]hen driving conditions and time on task are controlled for, the impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be as profound as those associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at 0.08%. With respect to cell phone use, clearly the safest course of action is to not use a cell phone while driving."

Summer 2006 - David L. Strayer, PhD 

"[T]here has been an unprecedented explosion in the availability and use of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields for electrical and wireless communications technologies (mobile and cordless phones, WiFi and WIMAX networks, RFID, etc,)...

We are concerned about the body of evidence that indicates that exposure to electromagnetic fields interferes with basic human biology and may increase the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases... Recent research indicates that electromagnetic fields could cause detrimental health effects even at very low levels of exposure...

We are deeply concerned that current uses of non-ionizing radiation for mobile phones, wireless computers and other technologies place at risk the health of children and teens, pregnant women, seniors and others who are most vulnerable due to age or disability."

Sep. 15, 2009 - International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 

"The health endpoints that have been reported to be associated with ELF and/or RF include childhood leukemia, adult brain tumors, childhood brain tumors, genotoxic effects (DNA damage and micronucleation), neurological effects and neurodegenerative disease, immune system disregulation, allergic and inflammatory responses, breast cancer in men and women, miscarriage and some cardiovascular effects...

Given the scientific evidence at hand, the rapid deployment of new wireless technologies that chronically expose people to pulsed RF at levels reported to cause bioeffects, which in turn, could reasonably be presumed to lead to serious health impacts, is a public health concern. A public health action level that implements preventative action now is warranted, based on the collective evidence...

[I]t is not unreasonable to question the safety of RF at any level."

July 2007 - David O. Carpenter, MD 

"Increased brain tumor risk has been associated with cell phone use in nearly all studies at 10 years and longer, particularly when the phone is used mainly on one side of the head or ipsilateral use. The same is true for cell phone use and acoustic neuroma. Cordless phone use has been reported in some studies to be associated with increased risk of both types of tumor as well.

Adult risks are about double (about a 200% increased risk) at 10 years and longer cell phone use. Children who begin using cell phones in their teen years have more than a five-fold (500%) increased risk of glioma by the time they are in their 20's."

Sep. 22, 2009 - Cindy Sage, MA 

"Since 1993, I have headed the WTR [wireless technology research] surveillance and research program funded by the wireless industry. The goal of WTR has always been to identify and solve any problems concerning consumers' health that could arise from the use of these phones. This past February, at the annual convention of the CTIA, I met with the full board of that organization to brief them on some surprising findings from our work...

The rate of death from brain cancer among handheld phone users was higher than the rate of brain cancer death among those who used non-handheld phones that were away from their head;

The risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumour of the auditory nerve that is well in range of the radiation coming from a phone's antenna, was fifty percent higher in people who reported using cell phones for six years or more, moreover, that relationship between the amount of cell phone use and this tumour appeared to follow a dose-response curve;

The risk of rare neuro epithelial tumours on the outside of the brain was more than doubled, a statistically significant risk increase, in cell phone users as compared to people who did not use cell phones;

There appeared to be some correlation between brain tumours occurring on the right side of the head and the use of the phone on the right side of the head...

Today, I sit here extremely frustrated and concerned that appropriate steps have not been taken by the wireless industry to protect consumers...

Alarmingly, indications are that some segments of the industry have ignored the scientific findings suggesting potential health effects, have repeatedly and falsely claimed that wireless phones are safe for all consumers including children, and have created an illusion of responsible follow up by calling for and supporting more research."

Oct. 7, 1999 - George Carlo, PhD, JD 

"Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance. The data are insufficient to quantify crashes caused by cell phone use specifically, but NHTSA estimates that driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes...

The available research indicates that whether it is a hands-free or hand-held cell phone, the cognitive distraction is significant enough to degrade a driver’s performance. This can cause a driver to miss key visual and audio cues needed to avoid a crash."

Oct. 7, 2009 - National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) 

"With nearly 3 million civilian employees, the Federal Government can and should demonstrate leadership in reducing the dangers of text messaging while driving. Recent deadly crashes involving drivers distracted by text messaging while behind the wheel highlight a growing danger on our roads. Text messaging causes drivers to take their eyes off the road and at least one hand off the steering wheel, endangering both themselves and others. Every day, Federal employees drive Government-owned, Government-leased, or Government-rented vehicles (collectively, GOV) or privately-owned vehicles (POV) on official Government business, and some Federal employees use Government-supplied electronic devices to text or e-mail while driving. A Federal Government-wide prohibition on the use of text messaging while driving on official business or while using Government-supplied equipment will help save lives, reduce injuries, and set an example for State and local governments, private employers, and individual drivers."

Oct. 1, 2009 - Barack Obama, JD