Given that our cellphones (and a lot of our electronic devices) give off radiation, there have been many who wonder whether or not our phones give off enough radiation where it could be potentially dangerous to our health. Now according to an updated study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, it seems that there is “clear evidence” of health risks.However before you get too worried, it should be pointed out that this “clear evidence” of health risks is in rats, not humans. The researchers actually published a draft of their report earlier this year where they said that they found “some evidence”, but following peer review, it was changed to “clear evidence” in high levels of radio frequency radiation used in mobile phones and the rats developing tumors.
According to John Bucher, a senior scientist at the toxicology program, “The change from some evidence to clear evidence reflects increased confidence that the cancer observed in male rats was associated with exposure to radio frequency radiation. NTP considers either category a positive finding of cancer.”
However not everyone seems to agree with these findings. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health said, “We disagree, however, with the conclusions of their final report regarding ‘clear evidence’ of carcinogenic activity in rodents.” He adds, “The study was not designed to test the safety of cell phone use in humans, so we cannot draw conclusions about the risks of cell phone use from it.”