Study downplayed cell phone risks

Experts criticize Danish study on cell phone risks

31.10.2011

The dispute over the impact of cell phone radiation on health goes into the next round. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had in May before the „possibly carcinogenic“ However, Danish researchers from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen came to the conclusion in October that there is no increased risk of cancer from ordinary mobile phone use.

The results of the Danish researchers, however, met with considerable criticism from numerous non-governmental organizations and experts, as the study pointed out „serious mistakes“ on, so the accusation of the French non-governmental organization (NGO) „Robin of the toit“. The methodological errors of the study are obvious. A connection between the occurrence of brain tumors and the mobile phone use could be based on the October 20 in the journal „British Medical Journal“ published Danish study, can not be ruled out, so the criticism of NGOs.

Study on cell phone risks with significant errors
Numerous environmental and consumer organizations complained immediately after the publication of the Danish study of what they considered to be the most fierce data forgery in mobile communications research and denounced methodological weaknesses in the investigation. The accusations of the French NGO have recently been closed to these allegations „Robin of the toit“ on. Named as essential error „Robin of the toit“, that the users of company phones were not taken into account in the investigation and the study period is not sufficient to make reliable statements, as brain tumors often only come to an outbreak after 30 years. This long latency is not considered in the current study, which took into account data from the period 1982 and 1995. In addition, in the Danish study, the cancer risk in children has not been analyzed in more detail by mobile phone radiation, which, according to numerous experts, is particularly sensitive to radiation. Overall, the study, in which the data from more than 350,000 mobile phone users from 13 years were evaluated, therefore not meaningful. Possible connections between the long-term use of mobile phones and the tumors in the brain can still not be ruled out, so the experts of „Robin of the toit“.

Connection between mobile phone use and brain tumors
The French NGO also relies on the British Professor of the University of Bristol and specialists in the effects of radiation on human health, Dens Henshaw, who said that the results of the Danish study „worthless“ had designated. Also quoted „Robin of the toit“ the expert of the US Health Institute „Environmental Health Trust“, Devra Davis, who stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) would not take into account the results of the Danish study in the assessment of mobile phone health risks since „the investigation was not rated as reliable“ be. Thus, the study by the International Cancer Research Center continues to be the current basis of the WHO classification of health risks due to mobile phone radiation. The IARC Interphone study, published in May, found that when comparing data from 13 countries, there is a slightly greater likelihood of developing special brain tumors (gliomas) in people using a cell phone. A connection between the occurrence of brain tumors and mobile phone use can therefore not be ruled out, according to the WHO. (Fp)

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