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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:
• Two groups of 18 people were exposed to simulated mobile phone signals
under laboratory conditions while they performed cognitive function tests.
There were no changes in the subjects' ability to recall words, numbers, or
pictures, or in their spatial memory, but they were able to make choices
more quickly in one visual test when they were exposed to simulated
mobile phone signals. This was the only change noted among more than
20 variables compared.
3
• In a study of 209 brain tumor cases and 425 matched controls, there was
no increased risk of brain tumors associated with mobile phone use. When
tumors did exist in certain locations, however, they were more likely to be
on the side of the head where the mobile phone was used. Because this
occurred in only a small number of cases, the increased likelihood was too
small to be statistically significant.
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