Health and Safety Information 127
from cell phone use. The COSMOS study will follow
approximately 300,000 adult cell phone users in Europe for 20 to
30 years. Additional information about the COSMOS study can be
found at
http://www.ukcosmos.org/index.html
.
Risk of Brain Cancer from Exposure to Radio Frequency Fields
in Childhood and Adolescence (MOBI-KIDS)
MOBI-KIDS is an international study investigating the relationship
between exposure to radio frequency energy from
communication technologies including cell phones and brain
cancer in young people. This is an international multi-center
study involving 14 European and non-European countries.
Additional information about MOBI-KIDS can be found at
http://www.creal.cat/programes-recerca/en_projectes-creal/
view.php?ID=39.
Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program
of the National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) actively follows cancer
statistics in the United States to detect any change in rates of
new cases for brain cancer. If cell phones play a role in risk for
brain cancer, rates should go up, because heavy cell phone use
has been common for quite some time in the U.S. Between 1987
and 2005, the overall age-adjusted incidence of brain cancer did
not increase. Additional information about SEER can be found at
http://seer.cancer.gov/
.
Cell Phone Industry Actions
Although the existing scientific data do not justify FDA regulatory
actions, the FDA has urged the cell phone industry to take a
number of steps, including the following:
•
Support-needed research on possible biological effects of RF for
the type of signal emitted by cell phones;
•
Design cell phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure to the
user; and
•
Cooperate in providing users of cell phones with the current
information on cell phone use and human health concerns.
The FDA also is working with voluntary standard-setting bodies
such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection (ICNIRP), and others to assure that safety standards
continue to adequately protect the public.
Reducing Exposure: Hands-Free Kits and Other
Accessories
Steps to Reduce Exposure to Radio Frequency Energy
If there is a risk from being exposed to radio frequency energy
(RF) from cell phones - and at this point we do not know that
there is - it is probably very small. But, if you are concerned
