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Debating the Safety of Cell Phone Use

Aug. 1, 2011 — The dangers of cell phones have led to preventive policies in France, Israel, Finland, and India, and there are simple ways to minimize the health risks associated with exposure to the radiation energy they emit, according to Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH, President of the Environmental Health Trust, in a timely and informative interview featured in Alternative and Complementary Therapies, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.


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Drawing on published studies on the effects of cell phone use and recent global initiatives advancing cell phone safety, Dr. Davis discusses the various ways the microwave radiation given off by cell phones that are on, whether in use or not, affect the body, and offers practical recommendations for optimizing safe use. In the interview, she explores the health risks and concerns associated with cell phone use such as brain cancer, sperm motility and viability, long-term health implications for young people, and dementia in older people.

An award-winning scientist, Dr. Davis, whose most recent book, Disconnect, focuses on the little-known science underlying cell phones and health, recognizes the practical and societal value of cell phones but cautions that their use is not without health risks, calling upon industry and government to take the necessary steps to help people understand and minimize their risk. "In using phones, distance is your friend, because radiation exposure falls off dramatically the farther away from the brain or body you use your phone," Dr. Davis noted. "If you read the fine print warnings that come with all smart phones today they are quite clear -- phones should not be used next to the brain or body, or kept in the pocket," she added.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Cell Phone Use—Is it Safe? An Interview with Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH. Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 2011; 17 (4): 202-205 DOI: 10.1089/act.2011.17410
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