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• Health effects of mobile phone base stations
  Vini G. Khurana
  Published on: 27 April 2016

• Published on: 27 April 2016

  Health effects of mobile phone base stations

  • Vini G. Khurana, Neurosurgeon

  Dear Editor:

  The timely article by Blettner et al. [1] reports an association, albeit weak, between adverse health effects and a distance of < 500 m from mobile phone base stations. The authors state that this observation cannot be explained by participant attributions or concerns alone and conclude that “the worries and health complaints of people living close to mobile phone base stations need to be taken s...

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  Dear Editor:

  The timely article by Blettner et al. [1] reports an association, albeit weak, between adverse health effects and a distance of < 500 m from mobile phone base stations. The authors state that this observation cannot be explained by participant attributions or concerns alone and conclude that “the worries and health complaints of people living close to mobile phone base stations need to be taken seriously.” While provocation studies have overall found no substantial evidence supporting electrohypersensitivity to short-term low-intensity electromagnetic field (LEMF) exposure [2], epidemiological studies involving longer-term exposures have consistently found an association between LEMF exposure and neurobehavioural symptoms [2]. The conclusion of Blettner et al. [1] is supported by such studies, which include independent reports from several countries [e.g., 2,3]. While the mechanism(s) by which base station EMFs might cause neurobehavioural symptoms remain(s) conjectural, it is notable that Science Magazine has recently acknowledged that there are several peer-reviewed papers from laboratories in at least seven countries showing that cell phone or similar LEMFs can, contrary to the expectations of such “non-ionizing” sources, damage or structurally modify DNA [4]. In the context of base station EMFs and cancer, only one study testing this association was found [5]. The authors reported a greater than 4-fold increased incidence of cancers among a cohort of 622 people living in the area near a base station for 3-7 years compared with a comparison cohort of 1222 people living more remotely. Although the particular medical logistics in the studied community leant themselves somewhat favorably to such a study and despite no other confounding variable(s) being identified by the authors, one or more confounders could not be excluded [5]. Phase 2 of the important study by Blettner et al. [1] may shed further light on any association between symptomatology and measured EMF exposure.

  References:

  1. Blettner M, Schlehofer B, Breckenkamp J, Kowall B, Schmiedel S, Reis U, Potthoff P, Schuez J, Berg-Beckhoff G. Mobile phone base stations and adverse health effects: Phase 1: A population-based cross-sectional study in Germany. Occup Environ Med 2008; Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]

  2. Roosli M. Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure and non- specific symptoms of ill health: A systematic review. Environ Res 2008; 107:277-87.

  3. Abdel-Rassoul G, El-Fateh OA, Salem MA, Michael A, Farahat F, El- Batanouny M, Salem E. Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations. Neurotoxicology 2007; 28:434-40.

  4. Khurana VG. Cell phone and DNA story overlooked studies. Science 2008. 322:1325.

  5. Wolf R, Wolf D. Increased incidence of cancer near a cell-phone transmitter station. Int J Cancer Prev 2004; 1:123-128.

  The author declares no competing interest, financial or otherwise.

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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