Sun editorial:

Definitive answer needed

Research is needed in light of warnings about health effects of cell phones

Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 | 2:06 a.m.

No one imagined at first that lead paint and asbestos, widely used products, could be harmful to human health. But as we know, they turned out to be very harmful.

Those precedents should give us pause now that criticism of extensive cell phone use is beginning to surface.

Although no one in government or the electronics industry is even suggesting cell phone use should be curtailed, there are people with top-flight credentials who are urging caution.

Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany, and Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, are among those warning about electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones.

Both doctors testified last week before a panel of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Carpenter, according to Hearst Newspapers, said evidence is “very strongly suggestive” of a link between long-term, frequent cell phone use and increased risk of brain cancer.

Herberman, who made national news in July when he strongly warned the University of Pittsburgh community about the possible health hazards of cell phones, testified that children could be most at risk.

Both doctors cite studies in other countries that raise the possibility of cell phones’ creating a risk of cancer, and both support more research in the United States.

“There has been almost no attention to this issue in the U.S., and this in my judgment is urgently needed,” Carpenter said.

Herberman added, “I cannot tell this committee that cell phones are dangerous, but I certainly cannot tell you they are safe. I find the old adage ‘better safe than sorry’ to be apt for this situation.”

We agree. Because other countries, including Germany, France, Israel, Sweden and India, are recognizing the possible danger presented by cell phones, a definitive answer is needed.

Consumers have a right to know what precautions — if any — they should be taking when using cell phones.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By KDR81

10/3/08 at 8:33 a.m.

Suggest removal

Technically asbestoes has proved mostly harmful to people who have also smoked. That is where the correlation exists.

As for cell phones being harmful. Talking on the phone while driving seems to be that correlation.
By dimuzio

10/3/08 at 9:43 a.m.

Suggest removal

The editorial's cautious public health position is well taken. The first comment is incorrect, or at best incomplete. Mesothelioma cancer is not caused by smoking in any way -- the only generally accepted cause of mesothelioma in North America is asbestos. It is true that smoking and asbestos combined can increase lung cancer risk, but the increase is synergistic and far greater with the addition of asbestos exposure. Asbestosis is the sometimes fatal scarring condition which again is not caused in any real sense by smoking. It has been widely known since 1930 that asbestos could cause a fatal lung disease and how to avoid most of that harm. Likewise, it was well known early in the 20th Century that lead was a serious danger in many ways, and many countries banned its use in paints, etc. Unfortunately, the clear scientific evidence and the red flags of international bans were ignored in this country. There were toys like solid lead soldiers sold in the United States sold long after this knowledge was widespread. The failure to act tragically resulted in scores of American children suffering irreversible brain damage.

Gary DiMuzio
By Lesscancer

10/21/08 at 5:56 p.m.

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http://www.economist.com/science/display...

In "Mobile madness", published on September 27th, we said that Ronald Herberman, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, issued a memo in July based on "early unpublished data", in which he urged his staff to limit their use of mobile phones. The memo was, in fact, based on a review of the results from many published sources. See the link