I normally write these posts to give insight to those seeking to invest in technology company stocks. However, I have been asked so many times about the threat of developing brain cancer from cell-phone use that I decided to write about this issue. The health concern revolves around the flow of RF (radio frequency) energy from the phone's transmitter to the brain.
First the facts: FCC (Federal Communications Commission) rules allow a hand-held cell phone to transmit a maximum of one-half watt of RF power at any one time. When a user holds a cell phone to the ear in the usual position, very close to one-half watt of RF energy will be flowing into the brain, as well as into the atmosphere, on a continuous basis. We have already seen ample instances where human exposure to large amounts of RF energy have resulted in severe burns, cancer-producing tissue damage, physical impairment and even death. Technical people such as RADAR technicians, both military and civilian, are among those with documented instances of RF power injuries due to over-exposure. Granted, these are instances of large amounts of RF power emissions. Have you ever noticed that the assistant of a physician or dentist always retreats behind a screen as an X-Ray machine scans a part of your body? In this instance, the magnitude of emissions is minimal but the repetitive incidence of exposure is high. So damage to the body's tissues due to RF power exposure is documented and proven.
Now what about hand-held cell phones? These devices do not emit the power of a RADAR transmitter but do come close to the power emitted by an X-Ray machine. And the repetitive use of cell phones is beyond debate. Have there been any reported incidences of brain damage due to cell phone use? No, not yet. Quite the contrary, cell-phone manufacturers and the network providers have stated that there have been several studies conducted that have produced no evidence of danger of brain damage or brain cancer.
During my career with Motorola (a cell-phone maker of some renown), the official position was that tests performed upon animals were conclusive and showed no evidence of bodily injury. And, certainly no brain cancer. At the same time, those of us who were intimately involved in this technology did think that harm to the brain was quite possible. Today, I see the hand-held cell phone phenomena as the world's largest biological experiment. Testing would need to be conducted over years, if not decades, before a correlation between cell-phone emissions and brain damage could even be established. Our current data comes from tests that were conducted over a relatively short period of time. Network providers will never refute the claims of the phone manufacturers at the risk of losing significant revenue.
I offer a federal experiment to prove my point. Around 1947, the U.S. Government set off an atomic bomb at ground level in a desolate section of the Southwestern desert. Stationed around the bomb site, ground zero, were hundreds of United States Army soldiers. These men were in full battle gear, wore specially designed glasses, and were in trenches that were dug several miles from ground zero. The soldiers were instructed to crouch low in their trenches, look down, and not attempt to look up until an all clear was given. The bomb was set off and the soldiers followed instructions. There were no visible effects to the soldiers and the test was labeled a success. Today, and for the last few decades or so, this group has a significantly higher incidence of cancer that that of its peer age group. My point? The harmful effects of the radioactive particles from that atom-bomb explosion was not fully evident until many years later...decades later. The same applies to cell-phone related issues.
Look how long it took for the medical community to link cigarette smoking to lung cancer.
The hand-held cell phone market will not stop growing, nor will the signal strength of the RF power emissions diminish. Nor do they have to. The solution is simple: Use some form of hands-free adapter that keeps the cell phone itself away from your ear. These adapters are available in a cheaper "wired" ear piece or, as I prefer, a Bluetooth wireless transmitter/receiver in a wireless ear piece. These adapters may seem awkward initially, but it takes very little time and effort to become accustomed to their use. I'm already hearing the question, "But, Bill, don't Bluetooth transceivers emit RF energy?" Yes, they do, but the strength of the emissions is minute compared to a cell phone's transmitted signal. The same could be said of the cordless phones that many of us have in our homes: the emissions are dramatically less.
My conclusion: Yes, there is a chance for continuous use of a hand-held cell phone to be a valid health concern. The low-power repetitive emissions over a long time period could very well cause brain tissue damage. So stop using hand-held cell phones without an ear piece. The bonus of this choice is a hands-free communication experience, including being able to drive an automobile with both hands on the wheel and concentrate more intently on driving. The auto accident rate will decline, including accidents resulting in a fatality due to the driver steering with one hand and using the other to hold a cell phone.
I leave you with the time worn adage: The life you save may be your own. And don't blindly believe the claims made by cell-phone manufacturers.
Bill Durrenberger is an award-winning public speaker who is available for speeches or presentations on companies and technologies. He will also be happy to research and provide a written custom evaluation report on a specific company or a technology by request.
Copyright by Bill Durrenberger October 23, 2007 All rights reserved.
