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day. These conditions are not similar to the
conditions under which people use wireless
phones, so we do not know with certainty
what the results of such studies mean for
human health. Three large epidemiology
studies have been published since December
2000. Between them, the studies investigated
any possible association between the use of
wireless phones and primary brain cancer,
glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma,
tumors of the brain or salivary gland,
leukemia, or other cancers. None of the
studies demonstrated the existence of any
harmful health effects from wireless phone RF
exposures. However, none of the studies can
answer questions about long-term exposures,
since the average period of phone use in
these studies was around three years.
5. What research is needed to decide
whether RF exposure from wireless phones
poses a health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and
epidemiological studies of people actually
using wireless phones would provide some
of the data that are needed. Lifetime animal
exposure studies could be completed in a
few years. However, very large numbers of
animals would be needed to provide reliable
proof of a cancer promoting effect if one
exists. Epidemiological studies can provide
data that is directly applicable to human
populations, but ten or more years follow-up
may be needed to provide answers about
some health effects, such as cancer. This
is because the interval between the time of
exposure to a cancer-causing agent and the
time tumors develop — if they do — may
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