Safety
70
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 be many, many years. The
interpretation of epidemiological studies
is hampered by difficulties in measuring
actual RF exposure during day-to-day use
of wireless phones. Many factors affect
this measurement, such as the angle at