“CANCER and Radiation
from Cell Phones / Towers”
Today’s
(April 22, 2014) Indian Express reports – “No link between mobile phone
radiation and cancer, says Padma awardee doctor. Calls for revision of World
Health Organization’s list of carcinogens,” Almost simultaneously, a friend has
forwarded a mail which says -
Are
the fears totally unfounded? I do not have any knowledge of medicine or
oncology. Primarily, I have been a student of law. I have used computer and
cell phones to a considerable extent for quite some time. I have gone through a
personal experience. May I share?
July
10, 2012 was a busy day. I was up at 3AM. Gone to bed after 11PM. Worked
throughout the day. Slept well but got up with a nagging headache in the
morning. Could not go for work. Went for an MRI in the evening of July 11. I
was asked to see a specialist. Next morning, I saw a specialist. He prescribed
certain scans and tests. In the evening, armed with the reports, I went to a
neurosurgeon. He examined me and all the reports. He was candid and told me
“You have a tumor. It needs to be taken out.” I asked,” Could it be
Glio-blastoma?” The response was “Yes.” The dates for surgery etc. were fixed. On
the way back, I was asking myself – What could have given me a tumor in the
brain? The family has been very careful about food. All vegetarian. Only
organic. No microwave ovens. No stress. What else? Could the cell phones be the
culprit? My family believed it was so.
Regardless,
I have gone through surgery followed by Radio and Chemo Therapy cycles. During the
course of my treatment, I came across a group of eight persons. From a village.
All from one family. One house. With a cell site tower in the street. Friends
mention similar instances from other places as well. Were they all victims of
radiation from the tower? May be or may be not. But some one has to examine the
matter. It is shocking that nobody in
the government is doing anything. Can public health be neglected to such an
extent?
Some thoughts continue to nag me.
Why is the
government not examining and getting a scientific study conducted into the issue
of cell phones and cell-site towers? Why are towers allowed to be installed in
residential areas? Why has no telecom company installed a tower on its
corporate office?
Why
is it that no study is got conducted by the Government agencies on the possible
effect of radiation from the cell phones and cell site towers? Has money power
overtaken the healing faculty and scientific bodies? How do we sensitise the
government and educate the masses? Shall it ever happen?
Every
dark cloud has a silver lining! May be, one case proves to be the beginning of
a campaign against the use of cell phones and the installation of towers. May
be, it helps to sensitize the government and telecom companies to scientifically
examine the issue of harm, if any, being caused by the cell phones and the
cell-site towers. It looks unlikely that the WHO could have included the
radiation from cell phones and towers as a carcinogen without any basis.
Equally, nothing concrete has been pointed out to show that there is no link
between the radiation from cellular devices and cancer. Should we not find a
way out of the mess? It seems imperative to do so. Without any further loss of
time.
Thank you Uncleji for the warning and sharing your personal experience. Anyone interested in reading more medical facts should try the link below (you may have to copy and paste in address bar) :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones
Jai Hind
As an activist and a rabble-rouser I would suggest the following:
ReplyDelete1.All cell phones and other personal WIFI devices that emit microwave radiation must have a warning on them “This device can cause cancer and is dangerous to your health”, just like on the packets of cigarettes. Microwave communication towers be banned in the vicinity of populated areas.
2.Class actions be initiated against manufacturers and service providers of the radiation emitting devices for the consequential medical costs, loss of productive time and the sufferings of the people, just like the billion dollar class actions initiated in North America against the tobacco industry.
Uncleji, please do not wait for things to happen without personal actions. You can push the legal cart. You are the expert .
Jai Hind
I think the author has dealt with the issue in a most kind and forgiving manner. I am not sure that the telecom operators and/or our apathetic government are deserving of his largesse. In my view, the preponderance of evidence at hand clearly establishes the connection between cell phones/ towers and brain tumours. It is unfair to dismiss as mere coincidence, or 'recall bias' the GBM cases that are sprouting around cell towers or cell phone usage. Therefore, as stated in the article it is imperative that proper studies - uninfluenced by the money power or vested interests - be conducted for determining the correct facts, so that the public may take informed decisions. In the meantime, IF there is even remote preliminary evidence suggesting the co-relation between the two, it is necessary for the persons in possession of such information to act responsibly, and spread it widely in the public domain to prevent further harm.
ReplyDeleteWe, in our present lives, are surrounded by radiations of all kinds. The author's concern regarding the relationship between the cell phone usage, cell phone towers and cancer is valid. However, till date no such association has been found. For details, the following link by the National Cancer Institute provides the details and methods of studies already done in this field internationally.
ReplyDeletewww.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones
Still, it is advisable that we must reach to the root of the problem and till then, limit the radiation surrounding us.
Personally and technically I feel that far worse and far more powerful radiations with high magnetic intensity are present around the electric overhead wires especially the high tension wires, where it has been observed that clustering of brain tumour cases is there. Another example of radiation exposure and cancer is the excessive sunlight exposure in fair skinned people, due to presence of ultra-violet radiation in sunlight, leading to skin cancer. Yet another concern was the fluorescent lights we use in our homes and offices also release these ultraviolet radiation, though to a lesser degree.
To summarise, we must reach a calculated decision as to the uses vs harms of the technology around us, supported by sufficient scientific evidence.
In agreement with the author and in furtherance of the comments mentioned above, it is submitted with a measure of concern that the issue should be on the priority list of any government (a welfare state as claimed). It however seems that the matters of life and health have taken a backseat in the clamour for amassing wealth. It therefore falls upon the people and the citizens of this largest democracy to take the matter into their own hands literally. The use of devices emitting such radiation needs to be restricted and we need to follow the precautionary principle. The absence of research should not be a deterrent in our mission to safeguard human life.
ReplyDeleteRead about the historic Canadian class action lawsuit against tobacco companies by copying the links below in the address bar:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tobaccoinfo.ca/mag10/lawsuit.htm
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/3-tobacco-companies-in-27b-lawsuit-begin-their-defence-1.1385839
Jai Hind. Jai Jan Shakti.
Very relevant and topical. I personally believe that the risks are there but there are vested interests as telecom companies are big and will do everything to discredit any reports that indicate dangers(Just as big companies try to discredit studies on effects of climate change on the environment). As individuals we should take decisions based on the need for technology and the risks associated. We can for example precautions by preferring landlines to cellphones when at home, LAN networks rather than wifi etc. It may not be possible to cut out all radiation but we can minimize. As citizens we must lobby the Government to ensure effective studies and regulation. Awareness creating is another step...many people are permitting their homes to be used for cell phone towers for money.
ReplyDeletehttp://healthticket.blogspot.fr/2014/01/swiss-govt-warning-on-cordless-wifi.html
Thanks for best blog
ReplyDeleteNPO network planning and optimization