Tuesday 24 April 2012

Dilemma For Department Of Health

The Department of Health in the UK has a tough decision to make regarding something that we almost all own and use daily.
Should it listen to the scientists at institutions like the the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority and the International Agency for Research on Cancer that say that the evidence is that this thing is 'probably carcinogenic' and spark a public scare or go with the scientists at Children with Cancer who say the threat is not proven.
The DoH have gone somewhere in the middle and have adopted a precautionary line of telling users to protect themselves and their children from potential, but not proven, long term health risks, especially head cancer.
There are more than 5 billion users of mobile phones worldwide but nobody can decide whether they are a health hazard or not.
The Office of National Statistics suggest a 50% increase in frontal and temporal lobe tumours in the last decade and France has banned phone adverts aimed at children while Israel requires all mobile phones and adverts to come with a health warning that heavy use and carrying the device next to the body may increase the risk of cancer.
San Francisco is currently attempting to implement the same health warning on mobile phones and the Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention Unit say that the 2% annual increase in childhood brain cancers is down to 'an electro-smog' and 'people are exposed to wireless devices that we have shown in the lab to have a biological impact'.
On the flip side the Institute of Cancer Research and the Advisory Group on Ionizing Radiation say in order to believe there is a health threat, it needs to be shown consistently and it has not yet been proven.
The UK’s Mobile Operators Association says that most health agencies agree that there is 'no credible evidence of adverse health effects from mobile phone technology' yet if you look at the small print in the booklets that come with your mobile, there is some worrying advice.
My recently purchased Blackberry advises: 'use hands-free operation if available and keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.98in (25mm) from your body (including the abdomen of pregnant women and the lower abdomen of teenagers) when the BlackBerry is turned on and connected to the wireless network and reduce the amount of time spent on calls.'
If the jury is out then the DoH must decide if it wise to loudly warn of potential hazards of mobile use and risk irreparably damaging a multi-billion pound industry or say nothing and continue the research and risk the health of the people it is meant to protect.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love my mobil phone. Even if it kills me I'll never give it up. Talking to my friends is the most importent thing in my life.

Holly Lolly

Cheezy said...

Question: Why doesn't the government treat mobile phones like cigarettes by sticking pictures of people with large & unsightly facial tumours all over them, preferably over the top of the 'Blackberry' or 'iPhone' branding, and also removing them from display in all the shops?

Answer: Politics.

Anonymous said...

Cheesy, that's a terrible idea. I creid when I read it.

Are you marryd. You sound rather cute. And brainy? Why don't you post a photo. I'll post one if you do. A nauty one.

Holly Lolly xxxx

Cheezy said...

Hi Holly Lolly.

Gosh, this is unexpected...

I'm afraid, however, that my major turn on (apart from fishnet stockings, hairy moles, and guns) is correct spelling & punctuation... so I'm not sure that you're the girl for me.

But I'm sure there are guys around here who'd be more than happy to make your acquaintance.

Platonic hugs

C

xxx

PS: Is that you, David? We've been missing you.

Anonymous said...

I would say if blackberry are giving out advice not to use their product to much and to keep it away from pregnant women then it sounds pretty damning. It is politics and the DoH will be under pressure not to come out and say mobiles cause brain cancer because to many firms will go out of business.

Anonymous said...

Cheezy, I was hert by your comment. English is not my first language. Russian is. You woodnt speak Russian two well either.
Then you ask me if I’m David. Who he is? One of your ex lovers, you norty boy?
Ive just looked back over old articles on Bruise. That Lucy is real smart and vary tolerunt but you, my Cheesy, are cleerely the smartest. Are your eyes brown! Do you work out? I do?
Russia is a grate place. Come and visit me sometime, help to make friends of we. Russians don’t wont war. Making love is better - what said you.
RumpyPumpy forever, what ho! I copyd that from a British magazine.... What duz it mean:
Your not a soldier, are you! British seem to luv war. I hate killing except Hitler. Your country an mine fought him, didn’t we! Friends we were. Don’t know what happend...so much blood we shared


Your Holly Lollyxxx

Cheezy said...

Even if this is David, it's a massive improvement.

Anonymous said...

a russian prostitute... that is a little funny.

good one david g.

q

Anonymous said...

Cheezy, I try my total beast to bridge the huge gap between East and West, I try to bring love into your lif, and what do you offer me! Nutin';

My heart is braked? I thought you was an British gentleman, even a Prince. More lik a prik

And now won of your Allies, a Yunk, the stiff won that wears a hareshirt, calls me a prostitut.

I will pray for him, that he falls under a bus

Lucy, is any body nice on your blog. You ar i'M sure**

Holly Lolly ---lost and alone////////// = my tears

Anonymous said...

labels will help. just see how they have reduced the use of tobacco...

q