Cell Phones and Cancer - Is There a Risk?
Monday July 28, 2008
Last week, a memo penned from the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, was released to the media that has caused a bit of frenzy, especially among parents. The memo warned 3,000 employees about an increased risk of cancer caused by cell phones and to severely limit children's cell phone usage to emergency calls only. The advisory comes from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, a cancer expert, whose stance on cell phone usage completely contradicts many peer reviewed, credible studies that have yet to established a link between cell phones and brain cancer. So, where is he getting his information?
Dr. Herberman is basing his preliminary warning at the recommendation of a group of international expert panelists who feel that the electromagnetic fields emitted from cell phones should be classified as a potential health risk. He also says that "more definitive data" will be released in a World Health Organization report on cell phone use and its cancer risk. The report is scheduled to be released in two years.
Among the recommendations in Dr. Herberman's warning, are to limit children's cell phone use to emergencies only, to use a land line for longer conversations, and using a hands free device if you have to use a cell phone. See the complete memo and recommendations.
Dr. Herberman is basing his preliminary warning at the recommendation of a group of international expert panelists who feel that the electromagnetic fields emitted from cell phones should be classified as a potential health risk. He also says that "more definitive data" will be released in a World Health Organization report on cell phone use and its cancer risk. The report is scheduled to be released in two years.
Among the recommendations in Dr. Herberman's warning, are to limit children's cell phone use to emergencies only, to use a land line for longer conversations, and using a hands free device if you have to use a cell phone. See the complete memo and recommendations.
Comments
Bob Park, a long-time columnist on science and politics for the APS and physicist at the University of Maryland, has a very nice if short piece debunking this myth. You can find it in the July 25, 2008 issue of his column What’s New or at
http://theretrospectivist.blogspot.com/2008/07/myth-of-cellphones-and-cancer.html
Cell phones have not been out long enough to rule out damage. We are the current guinea pigs. I noticed about 5 years ago that when I touched the ridges of my skull starting from that high ridge behind my ear and going all along the base of my skull to behind the other ear, that it was very tender to the touched, as if it were bruised. I purchased a cell phone protection device here: energyhealing.zeropointglobal.com/products/products.shtml. (scroll down to “ZeroPoint Earth Hearts). After about 3 months, that constant pain I had for years was 100% gone! I now have the Earth Hearts on all my cordless phones, my microwave, my blender, my hairdryer, etc. How can we believe that a microwave signal could go from a phone in the USA to a phone to China and not be strong enough to cause damage to your brain???? How can it go through walls but not our skull? I have heard that the cell phone companies now put a disclaimer in fine print that they are not liable for any health consequences of using the phone - has anyone seen this? If so, I would call that a clue!