WASHINGTON-A new study says electromagnetic radiation produced by cell phones do not stress human cells in a way that could lead to heath risks.
“We performed highly sensitive, extremely well-controlled tests on living cells irradiated with energy like that from mobile phones, but at levels five to 10 times higher than those set for the devices by regulatory agencies,” said Andrei Laszlo, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation oncology and a researcher at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. “We see no indication that factors involved in the stress response increase their activity as a result of such exposures.”
The research, reported in the journal Radiation Research, was supported by a contract with Motorola Inc., which is named in several pending lawsuits related to the possible health effects of cell phones.
The stress response is a protection mechanism for human cells set into motion by various adverse stimuli, including heat shock, heavy metals and inflammation. University researchers said high levels of the stress response in cells are thought to result in changes associated with malignancy.
Previous studies have indicated mobile phones do stress human cells, but Washington University scientists said those findings “may be due to less-than-ideal experimental conditions,” which create unwanted heating caused by microwave exposure.
“We’ve done extensive studies on the effect of cell-phone radiation in our research group in the past as well,” Laszlo said. “Dr. Joseph Roti Roti and his colleagues have examined the potential for DNA damage and cellular transformation, and the effect of microwave radiation on animals has been studied also. Now we’ve conducted this study of the molecular mechanisms of the stress response. In every case we’ve looked at, our group saw no biological effects of cell-phone radiation that could cause cancer.”
On a related front, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has approved a new radio-frequency radiation standard that is less stringent for mobile phones than current guidelines, yet largely in line with an international standard used by more than 40 countries. The IEEE standard now goes to the American National Standards Institute for publication and afterward to the Federal Communication Commission for consideration.
The safety of mobile phones is the subject of continued litigation, and many suits having been remanded to state courts in recent years.
