Consumer Reports issues cell phone safety recommendations

Consumer Reports issues cell phone safety recommendations 

Consumer Reports (CR) published an article today (Sept. 24, 2015) entitled, "Does Cell-Phone Radiation Cause Cancer?" 

In the article, CR advises cell phone users take safety precautions, government strengthen cell phone radiation regulations, and manufacturers prominently display "steps that cell-phone users can take to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation."

CR discusses the positions of the International EMF Scientist Appeal, the Berkeley cell phone ordinance, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the FDA and the FCC on cell phone cancer risks.

After a review of the animal and human studies, CR has issued precautionary health warnings about cell phone use and makes several policy recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission and to cell phone manufacturers:

• "The Federal Communications Commission’s cell-phone radiation test is based on the devices’ possible effect on large adults, though research suggests that children’s thinner skulls mean they may absorb more radiation.

• Consumer Reports agrees with concerns raised by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Government Accountability Office about the tests, and thinks that new tests should be developed that take into account the potential vulnerability of children.

• We think that cell-phone manufacturers should prominently display advice on steps that cell-phone users can take to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation."

A summary of the article is available on my Electromagnetic Radiation web site along with summaries of CR's past coverage about the health risks from cell phone use at http://bit.ly/CRcellphonehistory.

Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., Director

Center for Family and Community Health

School of Public Health

University of California, Berkeley