Title:
WHO Finding Adds to Debate Over Mobile Phones, Brain
Cancer
Description: This is
a VOA Special English Technology Report.
See text below
Text:
The World Health Organization has added to the
debate over the risk of brain cancer from mobile
phone use. The WHO's International Agency for
Research on Cancer recently listed the signals from
wireless devices as "possibly carcinogenic." This
finding puts cell phones in the same risk group as
the pesticide DDT -- but also in the same group as
coffee. A group of thirty-one scientists from
fourteen countries made the finding. The
announcement came at the end of a meeting at the
agency's headquarters in Lyon, France. The concern
is that extended contact with radiofrequency
electromagnetic fields may increase a user's risk
for glioma. Glioma is the most common form of brain
cancer.The scientists spent a week examining
existing research. Dr. Jonathan Samet from the
University of Southern California led the group. He
says the finding that there could be some risk means
scientists need to keep a close watch for a link
between cell phones and cancer. The statement noted
that the number of mobile phone users is large and
growing, especially among young adults and children.
Mobile phone subscriptions are estimated at five
billion worldwide. The scientists called for more
research into long-term, heavy use of mobile phones.
They also suggested taking measures to reduce
exposure to the signals, like hands‐free devices or
texting.Camilla Rees from an American group called
Electromagnetic Health praised the report but says
wider research is needed. She says: "We've only had
this technology around for about fifteen years, and
most carcinogens will take ... thirty to forty years
to develop a cancer." She says some scientists
believe there could be a "tsunami of brain cancer
unless we do something to educate people to lower
their exposure to this kind of risk." CTIA, the
International Association for the Wireless
Telecommunications Industry, dismissed the report.
The group pointed out that no new research had been
done. And it noted that the cancer research agency
has given the same finding to things like coffee and
pickled vegetables. For VOA Special English, I'm
Alex Villarreal. You can find a link to the
statement from the World Health Organization at
voaspecialenglish.com. While you're there, you can
also download MP3s of Special English programs.
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Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
