-
- LONDON - People are being exposed to potentially lethal radiation from
mobile telephones because health regulations do not go far enough, a report
published on Thursday said.
-
- The report, by Gerard Hyland, senior
lecturer in Physics at Warwick University, said regulations only give protection
against radiation intensity.
-
- Hyland told a news conference that current
regulations ignore the impact of low frequency electromagnetic pulses which
can interfere with the body's natural electrical systems. This reaction
varies with individuals and can harm immune systems.
-
- Hyland was presenting the report at a
news conference sponsored by (Tecno AO (UK) Ltd), which makes and sells
devices which can be clipped on to telephones. Tecno AO claims their devices
negate the impact of very low frequency (VLF) and extremely low frequency
(ELF) electromagnetic radiation.
-
- Britain's National Radiological Protection
Board, which is responsible for mobile phone safety, stood by its rules.
-
- "Our regulations are based on international
standards for devices based on evidence published in scientific, medical
and epidemiological journals," said Mike Clark, NRPB spokesman.
-
- "We can only base standards on generally
established scientific and medical facts," Clark said.
-
- Mobile telephone company Vodafone Group
Plc (VOD.L) said it was happy to follow regulations put in place by the
NRPD, but also supported continuing research.
-
- "The whole industry supports research
in properly authorized channels like the World Health Organization, and
we have a commitment to be as open as possible. We will take note of any
new evidence, but the science at the moment indicates there isn't cause
for concern," Vodafone spokesman Mike Caldwell said.
-
- Warwick University's Hyland disagrees.
-
- "Current safety guidelines are fundamentally
flawed and in need of a complete rethink," Hyland said.
-
- Hyland said the current regulations only
address the problem of excess heat generated by microwave radiation in
mobile phones.
-
- "Living organisms have the ability
to sense and react to aspects of electromagnetic radiation more than its
intensity. The wave motion can interfere with fundamental human processes
at way below intensity levels addressed by regulations. The NRPD regulations
ignore this," Hyland said.
-
- Scare stories about health and mobile
phones proliferate almost as fast as the sales of the ubiquitous devices.
-
- Last year global mobile phone sales zoomed
ahead by 51 percent to 163 million, according to Dataquest of the U.S.
-
- And this despite worrying news about
safety.
-
- Recent reports have linked their use
to fatigue, headaches, tingling and heat sensations on the ear and skin.
Another study said mobile phones caused blood pressure increase. Yet another
warned of short-term memory loss. One study of chicken embryos exposed
to computers showed foetal loss.
-
- Only this week the British Broadcasting
Company's Panorama program suggested microwave radiation from handsets
could increase brain tumor chances.
-
- Finland's Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE), which
sold more mobile phones last year than anyone, was quick to deny that report.
|
