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WINO 1 Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones Page 3 of 4 <br />examining a number of health endpoints in adults. The largest retrospective <br />case - control study to date on adults, Interphone, coordinated by the <br />International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), was designed to <br />determine whether there are links between use of mobile phones and head <br />and neck cancers in adults. The international pooled analysis of data <br />gathered from 13 participating countries found no increased risk of glioma <br />or meningioma with mobile phone use of more than 10 years. There are <br />some indications of an increased risk of glioma for those who reported the <br />highest 10% of cumulative hours of cell phone use, although there was no <br />consistent trend of increasing risk with greater duration of use. The <br />researchers concluded that biases and errors limit the strength of these <br />conclusions and prevent a causal interpretation. Based largely on these <br />data, IARC has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly <br />carcinogenic to humans (Group 26), a category used when a causal <br />association is considered credible, but when chance, bias or confounding <br />cannot be ruled out with reasonable confidence. <br />While an increased risk of brain tumors is not established, the increasing <br />use of mobile phones and the lack of data for mobile phone use over time <br />periods longer than 15 years warrant further research of mobile phone use <br />and brain cancer risk. In particular, with the recent popularity of mobile <br />phone use among younger people, and therefore a potentially longer <br />lifetime of exposure, WHO has promoted further research on this group. <br />Several studies investigating potential health effects in children and <br />adolescents are underway. <br />Exposure limit guidelines <br />Radiofrequency exposure limits for mobile phone users are given in terms <br />of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) — the rate of radiofrequency energy <br />absorption per unit mass of the body. Currently, two international bodies -1,2 <br />have developed exposure guidelines for workers and for the general public, <br />except patients undergoing medical diagnosis or treatment. These <br />guidelines are based on a detailed assessment of the available scientific <br />evidence. <br />WHO'S response <br />In response to public and governmental concern, WHO established the <br />International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project in 1996 to assess the <br />scientific evidence of possible adverse health effects from electromagnetic <br />fields. WHO will conduct a formal risk assessment of all studied health <br />outcomes from radiofrequency fields exposure by 2012. In addition, and as <br />noted above, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a <br />WHO specialized agency, has reviewed the carcinogenic potential of <br />radiofrequency fields, as from mobile phones in May 2011. <br />WHO also identifies and promotes research priorities for radiofrequency <br />fields and health to fill gaps in knowledge through its research agendas. <br />http: / /www. who. int/ mediaeentre /factsheets /fs193 /en! 2/3/2012 <br />9 <br />