Health and Wellness

Human health research is a very complex matter and it is not unusual for experts to lack consensus on medical findings and conclusions. Further, it often takes many years before researchers can conclude with reasonable certainty that a particular health factor "causes" an adverse health effect. This is why it took decades to establish warning labels on cigarettes. Because cell phones are relatively new devices, and because the amount of time consumers spend on calls has dramatically increased only recently, it is still an open question whether there is a definitive "cause" to cancer or other adverse health effects from long-term cell phone use.

However, existing research already allows us to draw certain conclusions regarding cell phone radiation. For example, the very latest study on the subject, published in 2011 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, demonstrates that even 50 minutes of use alters brain activity in the area of brain closest to the phone. One of the largest (13 countries) and most expensive ($25 million) studies ever conducted, the Interphone study, demonstrated that 10 years of "heavy" use (defined as only 2 hours per month) resulted in an approximate doubling of the risk of glioma (a specific type of brain tumor).

Pong Recommends a "Precautionary Principal"

Unfortunately, this study excludes subjects under the age of 30, even though it is well established that microwaves penetrate much deeper into the skulls of children due to their softer bone density. Further, fewer than 10% of those in the study had been cell phone users for more than 10 years even though certain cancers and tumors can take decades to develop.

While other epidemiological studies have evidenced increases in risk of developing brain tumors, lymphomas, and cancer, the list of suspected health effects goes much further. There have also been studies conducted that demonstrate impairment to DNA repair mechanisms, blood-brain barrier leakage, and genetic damage as measured by the formation of micronuclei. Human blood studies have shown chromosomal damage in blood exposed to wireless phone radio waves, and postulate a RF radiation link to cancer. Others have shown links between microwave exposure and attention deficit disorder, reduced cognitive ability, headaches, tachycardia, sleep disorders, reduced fertility, and bone density loss.

Given these facts and in context of reducing one's exposure to cell phone radiation, Pong believes that it would be wise to adopt a "precautionary principle" in practice, as the World Health Organization recommends.