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National Cancer Institute is expected to bear on the
accuracy and repeatability of these results.
1
2
Researchers conducted a large battery of laboratory tests to
assess the effects of exposure to mobile phone RF on
genetic material. These included tests for several kinds of
abnormalities, including mutations, chromosomal
aberrations, DNA strand breaks, and structural changes in
the genetic material of blood cells called lymphocytes. None
of the tests showed any effect of the RF except for the
micronucleus assay, which detects structural effects on the
genetic material. The cells in this assay showed changes
after exposure to simulated cell phone radiation, but only
after 24 hours of exposure. It is possible that exposing the
test cells to radiation for this long resulted in heating. Since
this assay is known to be sensitive to heating, heat alone
could have caused the abnormalities to occur. The data
already in the literature on the response of the
micronucleus assay to RF are conflicting. Thus, follow-up
research is necessary.
2
FDA is currently working with government, industry, and
academic groups to ensure the proper follow-up to these
industry-funded research findings. Collaboration with the
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) in
particular is expected to lead to FDA providing research
recommendations and scientific oversight of new CTIA-funded
research based on such recommendations.
Two other studies of interest have been reported recently in the
literature:
1
Two groups of 18 people were exposed to simulated mobile
phone signals under laboratory conditions while they
