World Health Organization Unlikely to Get People off the Phone

COMMENTARY | An international team of 31 scientist from 14 countries released a report Tuesday implying that cell phones are potentially "carcinogenics to humans" and might pose an increased risk for developing a malignant form of brain cancer -- glioma. This places cell phones in the same category as vehicle exhaust fumes and DDT.

The international panel of experts, after reviewing dozens of published studies, determined that there is a possible link between cancer and hand-held cell phone usage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced its findings in a statement released in Lyons, France. The IARC is the cancer patrol team, if you will, for the World Health Organization.

IARC Group 2B

IARC Group 2B is the category designated as "limited evidence in humans and less than sufficient evidence in animals." This particular category covers the aforementioned gas fumes and DDT, but also included under the Group 2B classification umbrella are common and everyday items such as arsenic, lead, ammonia and nicotine.

For those of us a degree or two shy of completely understanding chemistry or quantum physics, Group 2B appears to be a classification category by which scientists, experts and concerned officials can designate items as being potentially harmful to humans. When these harmful items, chemicals or products are not used cautiously, there can be health risk involved.

Microwave radiation

Cell phone technology is rapidly advancing, yet one constant remains the same. Our hand-held devices that we have become so dependent upon operate by using microwave radiation. Non-ionizing radiation (extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields) is the term used in the news release to describe the radio frequency associated with cell phones. Ionizing radiation is used by x-ray machines and has been proved to be harmful to humans in some circumstances.

In a nutshell, the same technology we use to cook our food, make popcorn or warm a cup of coffee could be cooking our brain. Even the chance of of a connection between chatting into a cell phone and cancer is cause for concern.

Cause for alarm?

One point resonated with me. The pesticide DDT was listed as a probable carcinogen to humans in 1972, yet is still being used today to fight malaria in some parts of Africa, as stated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fact sheet: "In September 2006, the World Health Organization declared its support for the indoor use of DDT in African countries where malaria remains a major health problem, citing that benefits of the pesticide outweigh the health and environmental risks."

Dr. Keith Black, a neurosurgeon, explained during an interview on PBS, "That radiation and energy, when it hits biological tissues, there is some concern that it may actually cause cells, over a long-term time period, to transform from normal cells into cancer cells."

Will the "benefits" of cell phone use "outweigh" the health risk? We still use ammonia to clean. Smokers still puff on their cigarettes. Will we be afraid to continue using our cell phones? I think not.

Globally, the number of cell phone subscribers has reached staggering numbers. It's estimated that 5 billion cell phones are in use. "The number of users is large and growing, particularly among young adults and children," the International Agency for Research on Cancer said in its news release.

The panel's assessment of the possible connection between cell phones and cancer will now be reviewed by the WHO and countless other national and international agencies, with recommendations on cell phone usage to surely follow.