Mobile Phone Radiation from Scientists - 10 Top Quotes

For several years, scientists from all over the world have been voicing their concerns with regards to mobile radiation, specifically the kind emitted from our smartphones.

Having lectured at various universities and often being interviewed by the media, they are authorities in the EMF (electromagnetic fields) debate. They have a number opinions on the potential health risks of extensive mobile phone use and we respect them for that.

We’d like to share some of the statements given by scientists and doctors so that you can make up your own mind with regards to this subject.

Keith Black, an American neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of brain tumours and a prolific campaigner for funding of cancer treatment. Chairman of the neurosurgery department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California

The problem we have is that we know that most environmental agents that cause cancer don’t cause cancer after a month or a year or two years of exposure.

The best example we can give to illustrate this is that, if one was to start smoking cigarettes when they were 12, we don’t expect them to develop lung cancer when they’re 22.

We expect them to develop lung cancer when they’re 42 or 52, three or four decades of exposure. We just don’t have that long period of study with people that have used mobile phones.^[1]

Olle Johansson, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

I often ask the question: “How many times higher do you think the radiation background levels are today compared to 30, 40, 50 years ago?” Once there was a very brave man who answered: “100 times higher.” In fact, it is one million billion times higher!^[2]

Devra Davis, American epidemiologist, co-founder of the Environmental Health Trust

Radiofrequency energy is another word for microwave radiation. If people understood that they were holding a two-way microwave-radiating device next to their brain or next to their reproductive organs, they might think differently about it.^[3]

Dariusz Leszczyński, Research Professor (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, Finland) and Adjunct Professor (University of Helsinki)

There are studies showing that this [radiofrequency] radiation is causing some biological effects. However, we have no any idea what the long-term-use consequences will be – will there be any health effects or not?

So, kids getting their first phones at the age of 6-7 years have some 70-80 years ahead of them during which they will be exposed to this radiation. We have no slightest idea what exposures over such a long period can cause.^[4]

Ronald B. Herberman, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

[…] 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”. 

Some recent studies in Nordic countries, where phones have been used longest, find that people who have used mobile phones for at least a decade have 30% to more than 200% more brain tumors than those without such use, and only on the side of the head where the user holds his or her phone. 

To put these numbers into 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 mobile phones, a position also taken by British, German and other authorities… RF radiation emitted by phones should be considered a potential human health risk.

The International EMF Collaborative, an organization of five cell phone radiation research groups in the report “Cellphone and Brain Tumors – 15 Reasons for Concern”

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 tumours 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 on the risk of brain tumours 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.^[5]

Martin Blank, Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics at Columbia University

Putting it bluntly mobile phones are damaging the living cells in our bodies and killing many of us prematurely… We have created something that is harming us, and it is getting out of control. 

Before Edison’s light bulb there was very little electromagnetic radiation in our environment. The levels today are a lot higher than natural background levels and are growing rapidly because of all the new devices that emit this radiation.^[6]

George Carlo, former Chairman of the CTIA funded Wireless Technology Research Program (WTR)

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 tumor 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…

Today, we 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.^[7][8]

David O. Carpenter, Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany

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 dysregulation, 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… It is not unreasonable to question the safety of RF at any level.^[9]

Devra Davis, American epidemiologist, co-founder of the Environmental Health Trust

Here’s one of the dirty secrets about cell phones—we know that drugs, sex and rock and roll stimulates something called dopamine in the brain. So do video games. Dopamine is something that we crave. We get dopamine in the brain when we like something a lot.

Well, cellphones stimulate dopamine, too. So it really is the case that there are some people who are pretty addicted to these devices. But once you understand it, you can do something really radical, which is turn your phone off and reclaim your private life.^[10]

From problems with providing research to advice about mobile phone use, this is a field of science which requires further investigation, ideally the more interest and the funded research, the better.

Is there anything you’d like to add, have we missed anything? If you’re interested in sharing your experiences with us or writing a guest post for us, send us an email via hello@mudita.com!

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