The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) has recommended mobile phone users limit their exposure to radiation by texting or using hands-free devices.
The advice comes in the wake of yesterday’s announcement from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organisation (WHO), that mobile phone electromagnetic fields should be considered “possibly carcinogenic”.
The society said the announcement meant there was potential for harm from mobile phones but there was insufficient evidence to specify a direct effect.
The society said that while more research needed to be carried out, consumers "should be made aware of the possible risk".
More than 30 experts met to review all previously published data on links between mobile phones and different forms of cancer before making the classification. The group did not carry out any new research.
Robert Baan, who organised the IARC meeting, told RTÉ radio this morning that the research considered by the group took place between 1997 and 2004. "Mobile telephone technology has been rapidly developing since," he said. "It's known that the modern telephones have a much lower energy emission."
The decision was based on the detection of an increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer.
"The conclusion means that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk," said Dr Jonathan Samet, of the University of Southern California, the chairman of the scientific working group.
Last March, the UK repeated earlier recommendations that mobile phone use by children aged 16 and younger should be limited to "essential purposes only".
The European Environment Agency has also recommended mobile use by children should be restricted.