CTIA - The Wireless Association® Blog - Health Effects

CTIA Statement on "The Health Effects of Cell Phone Use" Hearing

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:57:00 -0500

I issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Hearing on “The Health Effects of Cell Phone Use:”

“CTIA and the wireless industry are deeply committed to safety and to providing timely, accurate information to consumers about wireless phones. When it comes to the facts about cell phones and health-related effects, the industry relies on the conclusions of impartial groups such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Cancer Society, and the National Institute of Health, which have all concluded that the scientific evidence to date does not demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of wireless phones.

“In July 2009, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) released a statement addressing the current scientific evidence concerning exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF), including frequencies used for modern wireless communications. It said the scientific literature ‘provided no evidence of any adverse effects below the basic restrictions and does not necessitate an immediate revision of its guidance on limiting exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields.’

“There has been significant research conducted on the issue of whether there is a link between wireless phone use and health effects. Much has been completed and more continues today. CTIA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently examined scientific questions about radiofrequency (RF) energy pursuant to a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The FDA, not industry, was responsible for the research performed under the CRADA.

“All wireless devices must adhere to strict emissions guidelines in the United States, which have been developed under a thorough and rigorous review process. All wireless base station antennas and phones must meet the science-based, RF emission guidelines of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has established very conservative limits to ensure that the health of all citizens is protected. The FCC maintains a database that provides the SAR value for cellular phones sold in the United States.”

For more information on mobile phone health, please visit:

Wireless at Work - Mobile Gets Personal

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:56:00 -0500

The public & private sectors team up to use wireless for a unique promotional campaign on HIV/AIDS testing for young people. The CDC, University of Georgia, college students, Nokia and Verizon Wireless collaborated to creatively communicate the importance of testing. To learn more watch this segment from our June installment of our Wonder of Wireless webcast, and take a few moments to see what else we have to offer in our June WOW.

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Mobile Health at the CDC

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Dr. Jay M. Bernhardt, the Director of the National Center for Health Marketing at the CDC, sat down with us for our March WOW's Insider Interview to talk about novel case studies of wireless technology enhancing public health initiatives around the world. Dr. Bernhardt also shares his perspective on the enormous value wireless technology can provide by providing access to information and creating a personal channel of communication between health care providers and patients. Come check out what else Dr. Berhnardt has to say as well as what else we have to offer in our March installment of CTIA’s Wonder of Wireless webcast.

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CTIA Defers to Science on Health Topics

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:39:00 -0500

A hearing by the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee on whether there are health risks associated with using a cell phone just wrapped up a few hours ago, and it was noted during the session that CTIA had been invited to attend the session, but did not. That's true. We respectfully declined the invitation because the association has consistently deferred to the science on this topic, and we believe that any and all discussions on the issue should be based on that, and not on speculation or unproved hypotheticals. I've attached our press statement we distributed yesterday in advance of the hearing, which I think clearly explains our reasonable and rational position. It is as follows:

“CTIA and the wireless industry take the health of our customers very seriously. That is why the wireless industry has supported scientific research on these issues, and also supports the Federal Communications Commission's strict safety guidelines that apply to all wireless devices that are sold or marketed in the U.S.

“The wireless industry has always maintained that this important issue should be guided by sound science. The available scientific evidence and expert reviews from leading global health organizations such as the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, United States Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization reflect a consensus based on published scientific research showing that there is no reason for concern.

“In fact, just yesterday, the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute released a statement, saying in part; ‘... [concerns] that using a cell phone may increase a person's risk of developing brain cancer are not supported by a growing body of research on the subject.’

“The public will be well served if tomorrow’s Congressional hearing focuses on the conclusions of peer-reviewed, published science.”

Let Science Dictate Discussion on Health Risks

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:02:00 -0500

There have been some recent media reports regarding the opinion of Dr. Vini Khurana regarding the use of cell phones and associated health risks. Dr. Khurana, who is a neurosurgeon and not a researcher, believes there is research evidence that indicates cell phone users of 10 years or more greatly increase their chances of developing some forms of rare brain tumors. We continue to encourage discussion on this important topic focus solely on the vast amount of international research that's been performed, which was recently reviewed by an international group of independent health experts for the Swedish Radiation Protective Agency. This comprehensive review included all known existing research in the area, and supports conclusions drawn by the World Health Organizations and other renowned health agencies around the world. There are numerous studies that could be cited that directly contradict Dr. Khurana's claim, such as one from Denmark in late 2006 that included 52,000 long-term mobile phone users, and found that their incidence of these rare tumors was even less than had been predicted based on the incidence rate of the general population. While some experts believe further research is necessary, we maintain that current discussion should be based on holistic review of scientific evidence, and not selected projects which could paint an alarming, misleading, and inaccurate picture of the situation.