NTP Speaks about Cell Phone Radiation

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Dr. Michael Wyde The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is conducting studies to help clarify the potential health hazards from exposure to cell phone radiation. The NTP is a federal, interagency program, headquartered at the NIEHS, whose goal is to safeguard the public by identifying substances in the environment that may affect human health.

Toxicologist, Dr. Michael Wyde is overseeing the NTP cell phone studies. Here is what Dr. Wyde has to say about cell phone radiation and the NTP studies.

Speaker and Topic	Transcript
Dr. Wyde discusses what is currently known about cell phones and health Segment 1: Background - Previous Studies Running Time: 0:53	Currently, there’s little or no evidence to suggest that cell phone usage is associated with brain tumors or any other adverse health effects in humans. A lot of the epidemiological studies or the human studies investigate the association between radiofrequency radiation or cell phone usage in humans and an association with cancer have confounding factors that affect the validity of the studies or our ability to draw adequate conclusions. For example, some studies have had too few participants, so they have a limited sample size. Other studies rely heavily on people’s memories of their cell phone use over the course of a number of years. There’s other confounding factors in epidemiological studies in general, such as lifestyle choices; exposure to cigarette smoke; drinking; environmental exposures; some studies are done in multiple countries where there can be different geographical exposures to environmental chemicals.
Dr. Wyde discusses the comprehensive nature of the NTP studies Segment 2: About the NTP Studies Running Time: 0:40	We’re conducting comprehensive studies in laboratory animals to determine the potential toxic and carcinogenic effects of radio frequency radiation that’s emitted from cell phones and other similar wireless devices. Exposures in our studies start during gestation while animals are in utero and are carried through the lifetime of the animals. This study is the largest study that the NTP has ever conducted -- it’s the largest of this kind on cell phone radio frequency radiation that’s been done to date. Our studies are targeted not just at brain cancer, as many other studies have been targeted; our studies also address effects in other parts of the body.
Dr. Wyde discusses how the NTP studies will be applicable to humans Segment 3: Human Exposure Running Time: 0:43	The studies at the National Toxicology Program have in fact started. Our studies are designed specifically to mimic the human exposure scenario. The NTP studies are looking at exposures for 10 hours a day. There’s heavy cell phone users that may approach the 10 hour mark - that may be excessive, but it allows us to fully investigate whether or not there is an effect of cell phone frequency radiation. Our studies are designed to look at the frequencies that are currenly in use in the United States centering around 900 megahertz and 1900 megahertz, as well as the two modulations that are currently in use in the US, which are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM ( Global System for Mobile communications).
Dr. Wyde discusses how NIST and others helped in the study design Segment 4: Leg Work Running Time: 0:33	There’s been a lot of leg work leading up to the exposure studies. We’ve pulled together some of the world’s experts on radio frequency radiation. We’ve specially designed chambers to expose the animals in. Engineers from NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology , have come in to validate the chambers. So, we have third-party validation of the exposures. Additionally, there was a lot of architectural construction that needed to be done at the lab - these chambers are rather large. And they had to be shipped from where they were constructed and designed in Switzerland to our laboratory in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Wyde discusses when results will become available Segment 5: Results Running Time: 0:11	We estimate that we should have final results from these studies in 2014. We’ll have some interim data available towards the end of 2010/beginning of 2011.
Dr. Wyde discusses how results will be used Segment 6: Data Use Running Time: 0:22	Currently, radio frequency radiation from cell phones is regulated by the FDA – the Food and Drug Administration . Certain aspects of the particular phones are regulated by the FCC – Federal Communications Commission . So, the data that we’ll generate will primarily be used by the Food and Drug Administration, but also, the data will be available and be highly used by consumers and the public.
Dr. Wyde discusses what actions consumers could take if concerned about cell phone radiation Segment 7: Recommendation Running Time: 0:14	If you are concerned, there are methods to decrease your exposure to radio frequency radiation. Those include decreasing the amount of time that you spend on the telephone and the increased use of speakerphone or a headset.

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