Your cell doesn't harm your cells radiation
CELLPHONES ARE more a threat to your privacy than health. Concern about cellphone radiation frying sundry body parts have been put to rest by the report of the European Union's REFLEX Project.
The 291-page report -- REFLEX stands for Risk Evaluation of Potential Environmental Hazards from Low Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Using Sensitive in vitro Methods -- studied the effect of electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones and power lines on different types of human cells.
"Several studies have been done on cellphone safety, including their links with brain tumours, but no adverse effects of cellphone use have been found. A cellphone is a health threat only if it is used while driving," says dr Madhuri Behari, head, department of neurology, AIIMS.
"Use of cellphones doesn't just distract the eyes, but also the brain and using a hands-free does not lower the level of mental distraction," she says.
No studies have been done on cellphone safety in India. "Enough studies have been done globally, and we need experts to collate this data for guidelines," says dr S.P. Aggarwal, Director General of Health Services.
"The only hurdle is that research data keeps getting updated so fast that it is difficult to come up with a conclusive result. My advice is to limit cellphone use," he says.
Not all cellphone users are convinced by the EU study results, which notes that electromagnetic radiation from cellphones affect human cells at energy levels generally considered harmless. "The radiation has some effect on humans and cellphones have not been in use long enough to be declared completely safe over the long term," says Ravi Bakshi, a US-based IT professional, who calls his cellphone his sleeping partner.
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