THE STATE’S chief medical officer has advised that children and young people should reduce their mobile phone use. Other mobile users should also reduce usage or make use of “hands-free” devices to limit exposure to the electromanetic fields given off by mobiles.
Dr Tony Holohan’s advice came yesterday following the release of new research that classes exposure to mobile phone emissions as a possible carcinogen.
The Irish Cancer Society has backed his call, recommending that people limit their exposures until more conclusive information is available.
The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer last Tuesday concluded a review of the latest scientific findings into human exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields from mobiles.
The 31 scientists from 14 countries concluded that mobile phone exposures should be reclassified as a possible cancer-causing agent.
Dr Holohan urged all mobile users to reduce their exposures. While we might not understand the health effects of mobiles, research had already shown that using these devices affects brain activity.
“Therefore the sensible thing to do is to adopt a precautionary approach rather than wait to have the risks confirmed,” he said in a statement.
There was also “general consensus” that children were more vulnerable to the radiation coming from mobile phones.
For this reason he “strongly advises” that children and young people with these devices should be encouraged to use them for “essential purposes only”. All calls by children should be kept short to avoid prolonged exposures to the radiation.
Mobile users of all ages could also limit their exposures by making fewer calls, by reducing the length of calls and by sending text messages.
Land lines should be used in preference to mobiles and the use of wired “hands-free” devices would also reduce exposures. Dr Holohan also suggested that people should not keep an active mobile clipped to the belt or carried in the pocket.
The agency’s classification of mobiles as a “Group 2B” risk indicated that there was a potential for harm from the phones but there was insufficient evidence to say there was a direct effect, said Dr Sinéad Walsh, cancer research officer with the Irish Cancer Society.
The new findings indicated that the increased risk related to two brain cancers, glioma and acoustic neuroma, she said.
The society agreed with the conclusion drawn by the agency that more research was called for to better clarify the risks. Dr Walsh also recommended a precautionary approach.
“The Irish Cancer Society also agrees with [the agency’s] recommendation that until more conclusive information becomes available people are advised to limit exposure to the potential harm by keeping calls short, using hands-free devices or texting,” she added.
The new research had not established a direct link between mobile phone use and cancer, the director of the Irish Cellular Industry Association, Tommy McCabe, pointed out. “Whether or not this represents a risk requires further scientific investigation,” he said.
The association represents the mobile service providers Vodafone, O2, Meteor and 3Ireland. The body took all questions related to safety of mobile phones “seriously” and was committed to ongoing scientific research.
He added, however, that expert advice from other bodies, including the International Commission for Non-ionising Radiation Protection, had “remained unchanged”.
The Government should immediately announce legislation that would allow labelling of mobile phones to indicate the potential health risks, according to Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly. Ireland could take a world lead by introducing labelling and ensuring the public were kept aware of the risks, he said.