Mobile phones may cause cancer, warn world health chiefs: After years of contradictory claims, an authoritative verdict

Mobile phone owners were urged to limit their use last night after the World Health Organisation admitted they may cause cancer.

The UN’s health agency advised ‘pragmatic’ measures to reduce exposure, such as using hands-free kits and texting instead of calling.

The disturbing report marks the first time the WHO has linked mobiles with cancer, and follows earlier research linking just half an hour’s use a day with up to 40 per cent higher odds of brain cancer.

However the mobile phone industry was quick to point out that the devices had not been directly shown to cause cancer.

More than 70million mobile phones are now in use in Britain – more than one for every man, woman and child. Worldwide, the total tops five billion.

Dr Christopher Wild, director of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: ‘Given the potential consequences for public health, it is important that additional research be conducted into the long-term, heavy use of mobile phones.

‘Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure, such as hands-free devices and texting.’

IARC’s conclusion follows a week-long review of all available scientific evidence by 21 scientists from 14 countries, including fresh research that has yet to be published.

The working group concluded that mobile phone use is ‘possibly carcinogenic’, a term which places the phones in the middle of five tiers of possible carcinogens.

sumber:dailymails