What's Your Story Idea? September 21, 2009, 10:17PM EST

Is Cell-Phone Safety Assured? Or Merely Ignored?

As Americans rely more heavily on mobile phones, mounting data hint at long-term cancer risks. Concern and research have been sparse

The idea for "Is Cell-Phone Safety Assured?" came from BusinessWeek reader Courtney LaJeunesse, a Chicago-based search engine marketing specialist for Yahoo!

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Russ Faulkner isn't worried about whether talking on his cell phone might harm his health. He uses his Apple (AAPL) iPhone even more these days, spending more than 1,000 minutes a month on business and personal calls. "A few years ago there was a study that claimed your alarm clock caused cancer," jokes the 36-year-old, who owns a corporate training company in Columbus, Ohio, and has used a cell phone for 12 years. "Didn't ditch that then, either."

Like Faulkner, most Americans rely heavily on their cell phones and do not expect health problems to result, despite several recent reports that raise concerns about potential risks. Because cell phones emit electromagnetic radiation to make calls, many people worry that radiation can seep into brain tissue, damaging cells and stimulating the growth of tumors.

The amount of time each month that the average wireless subscriber spent talking on a mobile jumped 430%, to 12.6 hours, between 1998 and 2008, according to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Assn. (CTIA). As handsets gain additional capabilities, people are increasingly using them not only to make calls but also to check weather forecasts, watch videos, and play games. "The weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems," the Food & Drug Administration states on its Web site.

The National Cancer Institute echoes that sentiment a bit more tentatively. "Studies have not shown any consistent link between cellular telephone use and cancer, but scientists feel that additional research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn," according to NCI.

Mobile radiation: Like tobacco smoke?

Many oncologists say they limit their own cellphone usage, don't hold mobiles against their ear, and instead use speakerphones, headsets, and hands-free setups. Columbia University associate professor Martin Blank, who has studied the effects of electromagnetic radiation—waves emitted by devices like cell phones—on living cells, doesn't own a cell phone. His wife uses hers only in emergencies.

Such precautionary measures haven't caught on with most U.S. consumers, who are using mobiles more than ever. But a growing number of voices in the scientific community and even in Congress suggest that maybe Americans should take precautions because it's better to be safe than sorry. "I am reminded of this nation's experience with cigarettes," Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), said at a Sept. 14 hearing, which coincided with an international conference in Washington on the health effects of cell phone use. Said Harkin: "Decades spanned between the first warning and the final, definitive conclusion that cigarettes cause lung cancer."

On Sept. 9, advocacy organization Environmental Working Group released an analysis of more than 200 scientific studies that examined cell-phone usage and health risks. "It suggests a potential for serious health concerns," says Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at the Washington group. "We [at EWG] are still using cell phones; we are just taking precautions."

Another advocacy outfit, International EMF Collaborative, released a paper on Aug. 25 entitled "Cellphones Cause Tumors." After assessing the results and methodology of industry-funded and independent studies, it concluded that "studies, independent of industry, consistently show there is a 'significant' risk of brain tumors from cellphone use."