A systematic review investigating the potential health effects of radio wave exposure has confirmed that mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer. Commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), the review is published today.
Mobile phones, often held close to the head during use, emit radio waves, a type of non-ionizing radiation. This has been a significant factor in the initial concerns that mobile phones might cause brain cancer.
The possibility that mobile phones could be carcinogenic has been a long-standing concern due to the pervasive use of mobile devices and wireless technology in daily life.
Consequently, it has been crucial for scientific research to address the safety of radio wave exposure from these devices.
Over the years, the scientific consensus has remained firm—there is no evidence linking radio waves from mobile phones to brain cancer or any other health issues.
Despite this consensus, some studies have occasionally suggested potential harm. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of WHO, classified radio wave exposure as a possible carcinogen for humans. This classification was often misunderstood, leading to increased public concern.
The IARC’s classification was largely based on limited evidence from human observational studies, also known as epidemiological studies, which observe disease rates and potential causes in human populations.
Although these studies are essential for investigating long-term health effects, they can often be biased.
The IARC classification relied on previous observational studies in which people with brain cancer reported higher mobile phone usage than they likely had. One prominent example is the INTERPHONE study.
This recent systematic review of human observational studies is based on a much larger dataset than what the IARC examined in 2011.
It includes more recent and comprehensive studies, allowing for greater confidence in the conclusion that exposure to radio waves from mobile phones or wireless technologies is not associated with an increased risk of brain cancer.
The new review is part of a series of systematic reviews commissioned by WHO to look for potential health effects linked to radio wave exposure. This review provides the strongest evidence to date that radio waves from wireless technologies pose no hazard to human health.
As the most comprehensive review on this subject, it considered over 5,000 studies, with 63 studies published between 1994 and 2022 included in the final analysis.
The majority of studies were excluded because they were not relevant—a common occurrence in systematic reviews.
The review found no association between mobile phone use and brain cancer or any other cancers of the head or neck.
There was also no association found even with prolonged use of mobile phones, defined as ten or more years of usage. Neither the frequency of use—whether based on the number of calls made or the time spent on the phone—made any difference.
Importantly, these findings are consistent with previous research, indicating that despite the dramatic increase in the use of wireless technologies over the past few decades, there has been no corresponding rise in the incidence of brain cancers.
The findings are highly reassuring, affirming that national and international safety limits are indeed protective.
Mobile phones emit low-level radio waves well below these safety limits, and there is no evidence that such exposure negatively impacts human health.
Nevertheless, continued research is essential as technology rapidly evolves. New developments may involve the use of radio waves in different ways and at different frequencies. It is crucial to ensure that exposure from these technologies remains safe.
The challenge now is to use this new research to counteract the persistent misconceptions and misinformation surrounding mobile phones and brain cancer.
The ongoing evidence shows no established health risks associated with mobile phone use, and that is a positive outcome.
