12/08/2009 - FDA update their cellphones and health pages with misinformation and spin

The United States Food and Drug Administration agency have updated their web information on cellphones recently. From their overview page to the cellphones and health and research pages, the current content is filled with misinformation and badly worded spin.

The main overview talks about the compliance with guidance (in the US, as set by the Federal Communications Commission, but broadly the same as ICNIRP levels) and the fact that phones comply and base stations are lower. At this stage there is no mention of health associations or precaution.

Unjustifiable claims

The cellphone "Health Issues" subsection is where many claims are made that simply cannot be justified. The opening paragraph concludes "The weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems", which uses pseudo-scientific terms to spin the evidence to present an unbalanced picture. The whole point of a weight of evidence approach is to measure levels of probability in context, and following it with a definitive statement such as "has not linked" does not make sense. Either there is evidence that has linked cell phones with health problems or there isn't, and a weight of evidence approach can be used to determine the strength of the association and it's probability of being causal. Phrased like this, it gives the impression that there really isn't much evidence demonstrating a possible risk, something which is unequivocally not the case.

It continues: "Cell phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy (RF). Over the past 15 years, scientists have conducted hundreds of studies looking at the biological effects of the radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones. While some researchers have reported biological changes associated with RF energy, these studies have failed to be replicated. The majority of studies published have failed to show an association between exposure to radiofrequency from a cell phone and health problems.

"The low levels of RF cell phones emit while in use are in the microwave frequency range. They also emit RF at substantially reduced time intervals when in the stand-by mode. Whereas high levels of RF can produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low level RF that does not produce heating effects causes no known adverse health effects."

This is in contrast with the official information from the FCC who supposedly gave them the advice that led to them writing this. Their paragraph acknowledges the uncertainty in the literature and difficulty in extrapolating the studies published so far into a causal association with human health, and concludes that standard setting in the meantime must only refer to established effects. This is very much the same principle that ICNIRP runs on, and while this is only part of the bigger picture required for making adequate public policy and legislation decisions, and is as follows:

The FDA interpretation of their advice has spun the wording into something which entirely misrepresents the science. The first of their paragraphs quoted above, with the exception of the first sentence, is simply factually incorrect. Some studies have failed to replicate certain effects, whereas others have successfully replicated effects, and it is not true to state that the majority of studies have failed to show an association, when the real proportion is closer to 50%. This is also unlikely to be an accidental slip in wording choice, as the research section opens with "Is there a connection between RF and certain health problems? The results of most studies conducted to date say no. In addition, attempts to replicate and confirm the few studies that have shown a connection have failed.". These paragraph manage to successfully give the impression that there is nothing to worry about, but sadly do so with a very inaccurate and non-scientific approach.

Brain tumour data simply ignored

There is bizarrely no mention of the work behind cell phones and brain tumours either, despite the ever growing literature from Hardell's team ^{[Hardell 2005, Hardell 2006, Hardell 2007]}, and the Interphone project, of which some found evidence of harm for long term use ^{[Lonn 2004, Schoemaker 2005, Lahkola 2007]} and some didn't ^{[Christensen 2004, Takebayashi 2006, Takebayashi 2008]}. There has also been a meta-analysis on the Interphone work demonstrating that, thus far, there is good evidence to suggest that even their limited data is showing a long term risk already ^{[Kan 2008]}. If there is any link that has reached a point where concern is warranted it is with phones and cancer, and not to mention the science on this issue at all is astonishing, and highlights the possibility that those responsible for the text do not themselves understand or read the papers in question.

Outdated and inaccurate information on energy and DNA damage

They finish the page with an implication of the common misconception that because RF isn't ionising, it can't damage DNA, via the following:

"Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as is found in X-rays and gamma rays can ionize biological tissues. Ionization is a process where electrons are stripped away from their normal locations in atoms and molecules. It can permanently damage biological tissues including DNA, the genetic material.

"The energy levels associated with radiofrequency energy, including both radio waves and microwaves, are not great enough to cause the ionization of atoms and molecules. Therefore, RF energy is a type of non-ionizing radiation. Other types of non-ionizing radiation include visible light, infrared radiation (heat) and other forms of electromagnetic radiation with relatively low frequencies."

As we have previously covered, the majority of DNA damage caused by both ionising and non-ionising radiation has nothing to do with the energy required to break bonds or strip electrons. Although some papers have not found such an association ^{[Lantow 2006, Valbonesi 2008]}, there is still plenty of evidence supporting the possibility of free radical creation from non-thermal RF exposure, and also evidence supporting actual DNA damage by this method ^{[Nikolova 2005, Friedman 2007, Yao 2008]}.

Summary

Had this been written in 1995, they would have at least had an excuse for claiming the data shows little evidence of a risk, and for not recognising the current understanding on how cell DNA damage can be triggered in vivo from electromagnetic field exposure. To be published in 2009 demonstrates either incompetence, a serious lacking in research / understanding of the published literature over the last 10 years, or a more sinister motive. For it to be published by a current agency, set up to assess safety of a number of consumer products for the general public, is both astonishing and depressing. We would hope that more competent and knowledgeable experts would be responsible for writing such guidance.

Links

- FDA Homepage
- FDA Cellphone Page
- FDA Health Page
- FCC Page
- Powerwatch Mobile Phones Page

References

Also in the news

"Mobile phones and health: what do we know", by freelance journalist Yanar Alkayat

Freelance journalist Yanar Alkayat has recently written an excellent article for the Ecologist, entitled Mobile phones and health: what do we know?

Contacting scientists in the fields, neurosurgeons working with brain tumours on a daily basis, and leading organisations responsible for assessing the effects of mobile phones on health, she has put together a well balanced piece on the subject, addressing issues from the basis for precaution, existing actions and movements, and what the future may hold.

Chillout DJ Steve Miller releases the album "Electrosensitive"

Well known chillout DJ Steve Miller recently released a new album entitled "Electrosensitive", in reference to having become highly sensitised to electromagnetic radiation recently, specifically WiFi.

He gave a short interview with Defected, describing his music, the album, and what it is like living with electrosensitivity. From not being able to do indoor gigs to having to avoid certain festivals such as Glastonbury, Steve paints a picture of a life where there are considerable obstacles to his professional vocation, and how he turned this into the inspiration for his latest work.

Albany city council passes resolution requesting science update on the potential health effects of RF

Albany city council has passed a resolution requesting the Federal Government to update studies on the potential health effects of radiofrequency emissions.

Taking into consideration the existing positions of the various agencies in some way responsible for the current guidelines, the key points in the resolution were as follows:

• Now therefore be it resolved that the Albany City Council requests the FCC to work in cooperation with the FDA and other relevant federal agencies to revisit and update studies on potential health concerns arising from RF wireless emissions in light of the national proliferation of wireless use; and
• Be it further resolved that the City Clerk shall cause a copy of this Resolution to be sent to all members of the FCC board, to the FDA commissioners, to all members of the California Congressional Delegation and to Albany's State Representatives.