Mobile operators welcome publication of Interphone study
Mobile operators welcome publication of Interphone study
25 August 2011
MOA welcomes the publication of an overall analysis of a multi national, population-based, case-control study of acoustic neuroma in Cancer Epidemiology. It is the second overall analysis of head and neck tumours, published as part of the internationally coordinated Interphone project.
In the present study, the authors reported the following conclusion:
“There was no increase in risk of acoustic neuroma with ever regular use of a mobile phone or for users who began regular use 10 years or more before the reference date. Elevated odds ratios observed at the highest level of cumulative call time could be due to chance, reporting bias or a causal effect. As acoustic neuroma is usually a slowly growing tumour, the interval between introduction of mobile phones and occurrence of the tumour might have been too short to observe an effect, if there is one.”
John Cooke, Executive Director of the Mobile Operators Association, said: “The overall Interphone conclusion of no increase in risk of acoustic neuroma with use of mobile phones adds to the significant existing body of research reporting no health risk from using mobile phones.”
“The industry is supporting the international COSMOS study (Cohort Study on Mobile Phone Use and Health) into long-term use of mobile phones and health.”
The mobile phone industry takes all questions regarding the safety of mobile phones seriously and we have a strong commitment to supporting ongoing scientific research – such as the Interphone project. This project has been funded by the mobile phone industry jointly with governments and national health agencies in a way that ensures complete scientific independence.
All mobile phones sold in the UK comply with international health and safety exposure guidelines.
Note to Editors
1. The Mobile Operators Association (MOA) was set up to represent the four UK mobile phone network operators – O2, Everything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile), Three and Vodafone – on radio frequency health and planning issues. The MOA website is: www.mobilemastinfo.com
2. Brain tumours are relatively rare; acoustic neuromas are benign tumours of the hearing nerve, there are around two cases are diagnosed per 100,000 population. Tumours of the brain account for less than 2% of all cancers diagnosed in the UK.
3. “Acoustic neuroma risk in relation to mobile telephone use: Results of the INTERPHONE international case–control study” is published in Cancer Epidemiology. This study is the overall analysis of the national data on acoustic neuroma collected as part of the 13 country Interphone project coordinated by IARC. As these diseases are rare, large numbers of subjects are needed for accuracy.
4. For more information please contact Christine Jude 0207 331 2029, 07736 110787, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
5.1 Million Mobile Broadband Connections
Mobile phones cannot work without a network of base stations (masts). There are approximately 52,500 base station sites (excluding microcells) in the UK. Only a third of these are large, free standing masts. A YouGov survey for MOA (Sept 2012) showed that nearly 8 out of 10 people recognise the link between masts and good mobile coverage. Mobile telecommunications are vital for the UK’s economic competitiveness and in promoting social inclusion. There are now over 81.6 million mobile subscriptions in the UK. Over 5.1 million customers now access mobile broadband services via a laptop and dongle, and 39 per cent of UK adults use their mobile phones for internet access. Tablet ownership rose to 11% of UK households.
No Established Health Effects
Mobile phones operate by using radio waves, similar to those that have been widely used for decades, for example in radio, TV and radar signals. A large number of studies over the last two decades have found no clear evidence of adverse health effects from the use of mobile phones or from phone masts.