Why You Shouldn't Fret About the WHO Finding on Cell Phones and Cancer

Yesterday the World Health Organization finally declared what has been suspected for years: Cell phones can cause cancer. Oh, but more long-term tests need to be done. And it recommends people do what the majority of the population has already been doing. In other words, it means nothing.

The WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer conducted the study. As BNET's Laurie Tarkan pointed out, the panel found that heavy cell phone users who put the cell directly on their ear had a 40% higher chance of getting glioma, a malignant brain tumor. Cell phone use in general may increase the risk of acoustic neuromas, a benign brain tumor. The WHO defines heavy cell phone use as 30 minutes daily over a decade.

Forbes columnist Matthew Herper puts the numbers in perspective:

If everyone's risk of glioma went up 40% as a result of cellphone use, the number of gliomas in the U.S. would increase by 3,000. That's a one in 100,000 increase in each person's risk of glioma, which still isn't very big.

But the study the WHO is citing only showed the 40% increase in the 10% of people who used cellphones most. I don't know how many people in the U.S. would now fall into this group, but we'd be talking about maybe hundreds of cases spread out over the whole U.S. population.

That hasn't stopped most media outlets from declaring that the sky is falling, with one publication saying it could be "a very big problem". The funny part is that the WHO's report actually prompts little to no changes for the consumer or even the manufacturers:

• Keep phones away from your ear: Roughly 90% of all phones are Bluetooth-enabled, which means more opportunities for Bluetooth earpieces. The iPhone, the most popular smartphone, comes equipped with Apple's (APPL) ubiquitous white headphones. It's safe to say that most phone users take advantage of Bluetooth or the included headphones.
• Text message instead of calling when possible: As early as 2006, people were spending more time texting than they were actually talking. The ratio has only increased.
• Manufacture less radioactive phones: Again, not an issue. Nokia told Bloomberg News that it already complies with the international exposure guidelines. Other cell phone manufacturers likely do the same.

The WHO itself admits that the study doesn't mean much since cell phones have been a staple for only the past 20 years -- it can't possibly know the long-term effects. And even if it did know things more conclusively, there's not much more the consumer or the manufacturers can do to ease anxiety. In short, we're in same position we were in years ago.

Photo courtesy of Furryscaly // CC 2.0
Related:

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• Cell Phone Radiation Study: 9 Ways To Be Safer

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