Cancer Research Director Warns on Cell Phones

The director of a prominent cancer research institute has issued a memo to his 3,000 faculty and staff members, warning of a possible link between cell phone use and the development of cancer, and urging that use of handheld cell phones be limited, the Associated Press is reporting.

The warning from Dr. Ronald Herberman, head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is based on "early unpublished data" according to the AP, but Herberman believes people should take action now since "it takes too long to get answers from science." The New York Times reports that, while some research has suggested a link between use of cellphones and certain types of tumors, any risk is still very low. And a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Q&A on cell phone safety states that "available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones."

• AP: Pittsburgh Cancer Center Warns of Cell Phone Risks
• N.Y. Times: Prominent Cancer Doctor Warns About Cellphones
• WebMD: Are Cell Phones Safe? Questions and Answers
• FDA: Questions and Answers on Wireless Phones