On Nov. 1, 2018, the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) released its final peer-reviewed report on the health effects of cell phone radio frequency [RF] radiation, concluding that there is "clear evidence of carcinogenic activity" in male rats exposed to cell phone radiation.

The report was the conclusion of a 10-year, $30 million series of studies into whether or not RF radiation from cell phones and wireless networks can cause cancer. Initial findings released in 2016 found an increased incidence of malignant tumors of the brain (gliomas) and heart tumors (schwannomas) in rats exposed to RF radiation. At the time, the initial findings were criticized. Mat Lauer, Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health's Office of Extramural Research, stated in his review that he was "unable to accept the authors' conclusions."

The final peer-reviewed report released Nov. 1, 2018 found that male rats exposed to high levels of 2G and 3G cell phone radiation do develop cancerous heart tumors. During the study, rats were exposed to 9 hours a day of full body cell phone radiation beginning in the womb and continuing over their lifespans. In its press release the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences stated that "[t]he lowest exposure level used in the studies was equal to the maximum local tissue exposure currently allowed for cell phone users. This power level rarely occurs with typical cell phone use. The highest exposure level in the studies was four times higher than the maximum power level permitted."

According to Ronald Melnick, former Senior Toxicologist and Director of Special Programs in the Environmental Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, "the NTP studies were conducted to test the widely-held assumption that cell phone radiofrequency radiation could not cause cancers... because this type of radiation (non-ionizing) did not have sufficient energy to break chemical bonds. The NTP findings that cell phone radiation caused cancers... clearly demonstrate that the assumption that non-ionizing radiation cannot cause cancer or other health effects is wrong."

The FDA disputed the study's conclusions in a Nov. 1, 2018 press release. Jeffrey Shuren, Director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health stated the FDA "reviewed the recently finalized research conducted by our colleagues at the National Toxicology Program… After reviewing the study, we disagree, however, with the conclusions of their final report regarding 'clear evidence' of carcinogenic activity in rodents exposed to radiofrequency energy." He also reiterated that the FDA believes "the existing safety limits for cell phones remain acceptable for protecting the public health."

As of 2018 95% of American adults own a cell phone, up from 62% in 2002.

Sources:

Warren Cornwall, "Questions Abound after Study Links Tumors to Cellphone Radiation," sciencemag.org, May 27, 2016

Bruce Y. Lee, "Cellphones and Cancer Risk: How To Use Your Cellphone More Safely," forbes.com, Nov. 3, 2018

Ronald Melnick, "There's a Clear Cell Phone-Cancer Link, but FDA Is Downplaying It," thehill.com, Nov. 13, 2018

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, "High Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation Associated with Cancer in Male Rats," niehs.nih.gov, Nov. 1, 2018

Pew Research Center, "Mobile Fact Sheet," pewinternet.org, Feb. 5, 2018

US Food and Drug Administration, "Statement from Jeffrey Shuren, MD, JD, Director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health on the National Toxicology Program's Report on Radiofrequency Energy Exposure," fda.gov, Nov. 1, 2018

US National Toxicology Program, "Peer Review of the Draft NTP Technical Reports on Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation," niehs.nih.gov, Nov. 1, 2018

US National Toxicology Program, "Report of Partial Findings from the National Toxicology Program Carcinogenesis Studies of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation in Hsd: Sprague Dawley® SD rats (Whole Body Exposures)," biorxiv.org, May 26, 2016