The most comprehensive and recent study on the dangers of the mobile phone (GSM), called Interphone, was carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). survey focused on patients with glioma (a type of brain tumor), meningioma (tumor of the meninges), acoustic neuroma (benign tumor of the acoustic nerve) and tumor of the salivary gland. These people and members of a control group were asked about their mobile phone usage habits.

The results, published in May 2010 , do not establish an indisputable link between brain tumors and the use of mobile phones. But the waves emitted by mobile phones are classified by the IARC in the category of possible carcinogens. Research must therefore be continued, because the mobile phone is used more and more and habits related to mobile telephony are changing, especially among young people. In this perspective, the European Union is funding a new study project on the risk of brain tumors in children and adolescents who use mobile phones.

Precautions

The Interphone Study concerns relatively few people who have been using mobile phones for ten years or more. So the results tell us little about the long-term effects, because cancer preparation times can be much longer. Research must therefore be continued over a longer period and with a larger sample of people. In the meantime, here are some safety tips:

Do not put the mobile phone near sensitive parts of the body, such as the genitals (or the belly in pregnant women). The headset limits exposure to the head.

Avoid long conversations, especially in areas with poor reception. Indeed, the mobile phone then automatically increases its transmission power.

Do not use the mobile phone in the car or on the train. Indeed, the mobile then automatically searches for new base stations, using maximum power for this.

Use your mobile wisely: avoid unnecessary calls and do not prolong the conversation. The children will reserve the mobile phone for strictly essential contacts. Some experts recommend that children under 12 should not be allowed to use cell phones.