UK Govt study: mobile phone cancer risk can’t be ruled out

Are mobile phones safe or aren’t they? A six year long UK study has concluded that they probably are, but at the same time did not rule out the possibility of long-term cancer risks.

The UK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHRP) has undertaken 23 studies into the health impacts of mobile phones, masts and base stations. The MTHRP is funded by the UK Government as well as the telecommunications industry.

The study concluded that while mobile phone are unlikely to cause short-term health problems, it did find that mobile phone users did suffer from slightly more instances of brain and ear cancers. Thankfully, the number of cases bordered on statistical insignificance.

However, Professor Laurie Challis, who chaired the research program, did point out that smoking was not initially linked with cancer, because it takes ten to 15 years for cancer to develop after initial exposure.

“We can’t rule out the possibility at this stage that cancer could appear in a few years’ time,” Challis told the BBC.

However, he also pointed out that overall the evidence was that mobile phones don’t pose a health risk.

Professor Challis said it was only responsible to do more research, and MTHRP researchers are now planning to look at long-term phone use, as well as the impact of mobile phones on children.

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