A new review commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that there is no link between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer.
Despite the widespread use of wireless technology, the review, published on Tuesday, found no corresponding rise in the incidence of brain cancers.
The study’s findings apply even to individuals who frequently make long phone calls or have used mobile phones for over a decade. The final analysis included 63 studies conducted from 1994 to 2022, and was led by 11 investigators from 10 countries, including experts from the Australian government’s radiation protection authority.
Mark Elwood, a co-author of the review and professor of cancer epidemiology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, noted that the study assessed the effects of radiofrequency used in mobile phones, as well as other devices like TVs, baby monitors, and radar.
“None of the major questions studied showed increased risks,” Elwood stated.
The review examined brain cancers in both adults and children, as well as cancers of the pituitary gland, salivary glands, and leukemia. It also looked at risks linked to mobile phone use, base stations, transmitters, and occupational exposure. Other types of cancers will be addressed in separate reports.
This review follows similar studies. While the WHO and other international health bodies have previously stated that there is no definitive evidence of adverse health effects from the radiation used by mobile phones, they have called for further research.
Currently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies mobile phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic” (class 2B), a category used when a potential link cannot be ruled out. The agency’s advisory group has recommended a re-evaluation of this classification, given the new data since the last assessment in 2011.
The WHO’s updated evaluation is expected to be released in the first quarter of next year.
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