Cell phones and human health an update on research and regulations

Cell Phones and Human Health: An Update on Research and Regulations Presented at AIHCE June 6, 2001 Marty Eroh, CIH Pinnacle West Corporation martin.eroh@pinnaclewest.com Cell Phone - Background ✔ Use of cell phones has grown dramatically over the last fifteen years ✔ Operate at frequencies slightly higher than TV and FM Radio signals (Nonionizing) ✔ Analog and digital phones operate in the frequency range of 900 - 1800 MHz ✔ The maximum powers of these phones are 2W and 1W (900 and 1800 MHz respectively) Average power are 1/8 of maximum EM Spectrum Humans are Exposed to Broad Range of Electromagnetic Frequencies Nonionizing Radiation Hz 10 Hz 100 Hz kHz 10 kHz Ionizing Radiation 12 100 1 10 100 10 100 kHz MHz MHz MHz GHz GHz GHz 10 Hz 13 10 Hz 14 10 Hz 15 10 Hz 16 10 Hz 17 10 Hz 18 10 Hz 19 10 Hz 20 10 Hz 21 10 Hz Frequency Electric power Radio Infrared Microwave } Extra-low frequency (ELF) Ultra-violet X-rays, gamma rays Visible light Video display terminals AM radio FM radio, VHF TV UHF TV, cellular telephones Microwave ovens, police radar, satellite stations Heat lamps Sun lamps 22 10 Hz Basic Operation ✔ Mobile phones communicate with base stations (fixed installations) ✔ Base stations have limited range, therefore requires a nationwide network – Macrocells - up to about 22 miles, power output in tens of watts – Microcells - infill, airports, railway stations Range of few hundred yards – Picocells - Sited inside buildings Low power Sources of Exposure ✔ Mobile phones and base stations - exposures reduce with distance from the source ✔ Mobile phones - principal exposure is to the side of the head for hand held, or to other body parts during hands free use ✔ Base station exposure is whole body, but much lower intensity than from handsets Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations IEGMP Precautionary (cont.) ✔ More open process in the siting of base stations ✔ Pursue a policy of mast sharing and roaming where practical to minimize base stations ✔ Provide information on SAR to mobile phone consumers IEGMP Precautionary (cont.) ✔ Non-essential use of cell phones by children should be discouraged ✔ Drivers should be dissuaded from using any type of cell phone while moving Cautious Inaction ✔ Trichopoulos from Harvard and Adami from Karolinska Institute, Editorial in NEJM: Discussing radio-frequency energy stated: – ‘…the lack of a theoretical foundation and the absence of empirical evidence of a substantial increase in risk legitimize cautious inaction, unless and until a small excess risk is firmly documented.’ SUMMARY: ✔ Known Risks: – Heating - existing standards are protective – Use of cell phone while driving ✔ Need For Further Research - Potential nonthermal effects and long term epidemiology ✔ In the interim: Precautionary Approach or Cautious Inaction Regulatory / Exposure Guidance ✔ FCC – 47 C.F.R., Part Subpart I (1.1301 - 1.1319) NEPA – 47 C.F.R.,Part2 Subpart J (2-1091 - 2-1093) RF Exposure, Mobile and Portable Devices – OET Bulletin 65, “Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to RF EMF,” 8/97 (http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety) – OET Bulletin 56, Q&A About the Biological Effects & Potential Hazards of RF EMF Regulatory / Exposure Guidance (cont.) ✔ IEEE C95.1-1991 (1999 Edition), IEEE Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, kHz to 300 GHz ✔ IEEE C95.2-1999, IEEE Standard for Radiofrequency Energy and Current Flow Symbols ✔ IEEE C95.3-1991, IEEE Recommended Practice for the Measurement of Potentially Hazardous Electromagnetic Fields - RF and Microwave Selected Bibliography ✔ Adey, WR et al Spontaneous and nitrosoursea- induced primary tumors of the central nervous system in Fischer 344 Rats exposed to frequency modulated microwave fields Cancer Research, 60: 1857-1863, 2000 ✔ Elwood JM A Critical Review of Epidemiologic Studies of Radiofrequency Exposure and Human Cancers Environ Health Perspectives, 1999:107 (suppl 1): 155-168 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Inskip, PD et al Cellular telephone use and brain tumors New England Journal of Medicine, January 11, 2001 ✔ Inskip, PD Frequent radiation exposures and frequency-dependent effects: the eyes have it.” Epidemiology, 12(1):1-4, 2001 ✔ Johansen, C et al Cellular telephones and cancer – a nationwide study in Denmark Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 93(3): 203-07, 2001 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Lai, H; Singh, NP Acute low-intensity microwave exposure increases DNA single-stranded breaks in rat brain cells Bioelectromagnetics 16(3):207-210, 1995 ✔ Lai, H; Singh, NP DNA single- and double-strand DNA breaks in rat brain cells after acute exposure to low-level radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation International Journal of Radiation Biology, 69:513521, 1996 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Krewski, D et al Potential health risks of radiofrequency fields from wireless telecommunications Journal of Toxicology & Enviornmental Health Part B: Critical reviews, 4(1): 1143, 2001 ✔ Krewski, D et al Recent advances in research on radiofrequency fields and health Journal of Toxicology & Enviornmental Health Part B: Critical reviews, 4(1): 145-159, 2001 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Morgan, RW et al Radiofrequency exposure and mortality from cancer of the brain and lymphatic/hematopoietic systems Epidemiology, vol 11(2): 118-27, 2000 ✔ Moulder, JE et al Cell phones and cancer: what is the evidence for a connection? Radiation Research; 151(5): 513, 1999 ✔ Muscat, JE et al Handheld cellular telephone use and risk of brain cancer JAMA, 284(23): 3001-7, 2000 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Park, RL Cellular telephones and cancer : how should science respond? Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 93(3): 166-67, 2001 ✔ Repacholi, M et al Lymphoma incidence in EuPIM-1 transgenic mice exposed to 50 Hz magnetic fields for up to 18 months: experimental methodology and exposure system 17th Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, June 18-22, Boston, MA, 1995 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Stang, A et al The possible role of radiofrequency radiation in the development of uveal melanoma Epidemiology, 12:7-12, 2001 ✔ Sienkiewicz, ZJ et al Low level exposure to pulsed 900 MHz microwave radiation does not cause deficits in the performance of a spatial learning task in mice Bioelectromagnetics, vol 21: 151-158, 2000 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Stewart, W Mobile phones and health Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) // Website: http://www.iegpm.org.uk/IEGMPtxt.htm// ✔ Vijayalaxmi et al Cytogenetic studies in human blood lymphocytes exposed in vitro to radiofrequency radiation at a cellular telephone frequency ( 835.62 Mhz, FDMA) Radiation research, 155: 113-121 2001 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Inquiry into Electromagnetic Radiation, Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Report of the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee, May 2001, http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita ctte/EMR/contents.htm [...]... Exposure and Human Cancers Environ Health Perspectives, 1999:107 (suppl 1): 155-168 Selected Bibliography (Cont.) ✔ Inskip, PD et al Cellular telephone use and brain tumors New England Journal of Medicine, January 11, 2001 ✔ Inskip, PD Frequent radiation exposures and frequency-dependent effects: the eyes have it.” Epidemiology, 12(1):1-4, 2001 ✔ Johansen, C et al Cellular telephones and cancer – a nationwide... than lymphoma and leukemia ✔ Exposure assessment through questionnaire – Duration and frequency of use – Type of phone, handedness Results of Muscat and Inskip ✔ No association between measures of cell phone use and risk of brain cancer (total, site specific, or by histological type) ✔ Limitations – Exposure assessment (questionnaire) – No measurements – Low usage / short latency – Hospital controls Cohort... information on SAR to mobile phone consumers IEGMP Precautionary (cont.) ✔ Non-essential use of cell phones by children should be discouraged ✔ Drivers should be dissuaded from using any type of cell phone while moving Cautious Inaction ✔ Trichopoulos from Harvard and Adami from Karolinska Institute, Editorial in NEJM: Discussing radio-frequency energy stated: – ‘…the lack of a theoretical foundation and. .. examining cell phones and health effects ✔ Latency of certain diseases, changes in technology, and changes in usage patterns, is an overall weakness in cell phone epidemiology Two Recent Hospital Based Case-Control Studies ✔ Muscat et al., JAMA 2000; 284:3001-7 ✔ Inskip et al., NEJM, 2001;344: 79-86 ✔ 469 and 782 cases of brain CA respectively ✔ Controls were either benign disorders or cancers other than... workers, or controlled versus uncontrolled environments ✔ Establishment of exclusion zones around base stations where exposure guidelines may be exceeded ✔ Signs on micro and picocell transmitters stating do not open when in use IEGMP Precautionary (cont.) ✔ More open process in the siting of base stations ✔ Pursue a policy of mast sharing and roaming where practical to minimize base stations ✔ Provide... women ✔ Leukemia: 0.97 (m), 1.07 (w) Recommended Research (IEGMP) ✔ Epidemiologic studies Case control and cohort Particularly due to latency and changes in technology ✔ Studies of brain function ✔ Consequences of exposures to pulsed fields ✔ Subcellular and cellular research ✔ Improved exposure assessment ✔ 50:50 funding, independent panel IEGMP Precautionary Approach ✔ Prefer the two-tiered approach... substantial increase in risk legitimize cautious inaction, unless and until a small excess risk is firmly documented.’ SUMMARY: ✔ Known Risks: – Heating - existing standards are protective – Use of cell phone while driving ✔ Need For Further Research - Potential nonthermal effects and long term epidemiology ✔ In the interim: Precautionary Approach or Cautious Inaction Regulatory / Exposure Guidance... Overall Conclusions (Cont.) ✔ Not possible to say that exposures below guidelines are totally without potential adverse health effects; knowledge gaps justify precautionary approach ✔ Due to well-documented detrimental effects drivers should be dissuaded from using either hand-held or hands-free phones while on the move Biological Interaction ✔ Force produced by an electric field on charged objects (ions... produce detectable changes, these fields would need to be greater than thermal or random noise Potential Biological Interaction ✔ Could fields induce cell polarization? ✔ Could fields affect movement of ions through cell membrane channels? ✔ Does it increase ODC Activity? ✔ Do fields effect gene expression? ✔ Others? ✔ If any of these effects are real, do they result in an adverse health outcome? Epidemiologic... = 10 (2) W/kg based on 10 grams of mass and 6 minute average ✔ ( ) denotes public Are there Non-thermal Effects? ✔ Is there justification for standards below thermal limits? ✔ Do biological effects = adverse health effects? ✔ What areas of research deserve attention? ✔ What approach should be taken while research is being completed? IEGMP ✔ Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones report from Great .. .Cell Phone - Background ✔ Use of cell phones has grown dramatically over the last fifteen years ✔ Operate at frequencies slightly higher than TV and FM Radio signals (Nonionizing) ✔ Analog and. .. for hand held, or to other body parts during hands free use ✔ Base station exposure is whole body, but much lower intensity than from handsets Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical... Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Typical and Atypical Base Stations Current Basis of Exposure