Are mobiles harmful to health?
This week saw the publication of a 64-page study from the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme. The programme is funded to the tune of £8.8M and has taken six years. It collated the work of 28 studies it has backed as well other research from around the world. And the conclusion of the report?
To quote the official media release:
“The six year research programme has found no association between short term mobile phone use and brain cancer. Studies on volunteers also showed no evidence that brain function was affected by mobile phone signals or the signals used by the emergency services (TETRA). The MTHR programme management committee believes there is no need to support further work in this area.
The research programme also included the largest and most robust studies of electrical hypersensitivity undertaken anywhere in the world. These studies have found no evidence that the unpleasant symptoms experienced by sufferers are the result of exposure to signals from mobile phones or base stations.
The situation for longer term exposure is less clear as studies have so far only included a limited number of participants who have used their phones for 10 years or more. The committee recommends more research be conducted in this area.
The MTHR programme also investigated whether mobile phones might affect cells and tissue beyond simply heating them. The results so far show no evidence for this and the committee believes there is no need to support further work in this area.”
Reassuring. eh? But there was only modest media coverage for the report – not alarming enough, I suppose. And some of the follow-up comment is frankly banal.
In her column in today’s “Mirror” newspaper, Fiona Phillips comments: “A study into the effects of mobile use has found that there is a ‘very slight hint’ that long-term use can cause cancer. I also heard that there was ‘a very slight hint’ that the Pope is a Catholic”. Phillips is a presenter on GMTV and could be in a position to influence public opinion. Her silly non sequitur is utterly irresponsible.