Cellphones have only been part of our lives for a few decades, yet they have become indispensable tools for everything from paying bills to streaming videos. However, their convenience comes with controversy as concerns rise over the effects of the radiofrequency radiation (RFR) they emit.
The Cancer Controversy
For cellphones to work their magic—transmitting conversations and data without wires—they are designed to emit a field of RFR. This is the same microwave radiation that powers radar systems and microwave ovens, although cellphones broadcast at a much lower intensity.However, several human studies indicate that mobile phone-specific electromagnetic fields may cause cancer. Based on this evidence, in May 2011, a committee for the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) determined that cellphone radiation is “a possible human carcinogen.”
The New Evidence
A 2024 study published in Environmental Research shows evidence of cell toxicity linked to cellphone radiation, leading scientists to ponder its potential long-term health implications.
For two hours a day over five consecutive days, 41 participants in the study wore headsets that broadcast a third-generation mobile cellular signal (commonly known as 3G—a network standard that has been around since 2001 because it enables a wireless internet connection). Exposure to the signal was randomly assigned to one side of the head.
Before the trial and three weeks after the exposure, scientists collected cells from the cheeks on both sides of each subject’s head.
On the side of the head exposed to the 3G radiation, researchers found a significant increase of binucleated cells (cells formed as a consequence of disturbed cell divisions) and evidence of cell death. No such effects were observed in cells from the side of the head that was not exposed to the 3G signal.
Researchers say the study is significant because it is the first controlled human intervention trial examining the cytotoxic effects of cellphone radiation (previous research measured effects on mice).
Researchers point to accumulating evidence that exposure to RFR is associated with specific brain tumors. Their results indicate that molecular mechanisms other than chromosomal damage may cause cell damage, a key factor in the development of cancer. The researchers posit that the results they observed may be due to either an inflammatory response or the release of free radicals.
The Epoch Times contacted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to see how consumers should consider this research. FDA press officer Jim McKinney responded in an email, “The FDA does not comment on specific studies, but evaluates them as part of the body of evidence to further our understanding about a particular issue and assist in our mission to protect public health.”
A spokesperson for the IARC said they had no one available to comment.
Experts Divided
Since the IARC’s evaluation of cellphone radiation as a potential cause of cancer more than a decade ago, the agency has been repeatedly urged by its scientific panel to examine newly available research. In 2019 and again this year, the scientific panel advising the IARC suggested that studying cancer risks associated with cellphone radiation should be “high priority.”Major US Study Links Cellphone Radiation to Cancer in Rats
The push for IARC to reexamine RF radiation comes in large part from a major study from the U.S. government. In 2018, the final report of a $30 million, 10-year study funded by the FDA and conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)—the federal agency tasked with testing toxins—showed “clear evidence of cancer and DNA damage” linked to cellphone use in male rats.The study looked at both 2G and 3G radiation. It revealed an association with malignant tumors in the hearts and brains of male rats, as well as some evidence of an association with tumors in the adrenal glands of male rats.
What does this mean for the average human with a smartphone?
- The exposure levels were greater than what people may receive from cellphones.
- Rats were exposed to radiofrequency radiation across their whole bodies, which is different from a person carrying a cellphone in their pocket or using it next to their head.
A new RFR exposure study was in development that was supposed to evaluate whether RFR exposure causes DNA damage. In January, the NTP announced that it had canceled the study.
FDA Casts Doubt on NTP Study
Regulators have also questioned the NTP study’s conclusion. An article by the FDA, current as of May, notes that:- Unlike human cellphone users, rats in the NTP study received radiation over their entire bodies.
- Rats also received this whole-body radiation for nine hours per day for their entire lives.
The FDA also noted that cancer rates in the United States haven’t increased despite widespread cellphone use over the past 30 years. In fact, brain and nervous system cancer rates have actually decreased between 2002 and 2019, according to the FDA, which cited Pew Research Center estimates.
Push for a Follow Up
A push for a follow-up NTP study persists.“There are always experimental uncertainties in in vivo studies of live animals, and definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from a single trial, regardless of its scale,” the researchers wrote. “Moreover, animal studies with poor reproducibility cannot be considered objective scientific evidence.”
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