Let me tell you my thoughts about cell phones and driving, dining, and certain other personal and interpersonal activities. Now I try to turn a bit serious. We have a couple of observations showing that, under some circumstances, cell phones have a biological effect—on bone and brain, in these studies. Some have enough concern about the relationship to gliomas to consider the risk in the 2B category (possible carcinogen).
Am I an alarmist? Am I some wide-eyed, bearded radical? Not at all. Not my style. Do I think we are going to have an epidemic of serious health problems from cell phones? Not really. But stranger things have happened. We used to treat acne with irradiation, ankylosing spondylitis with irradiation, certain pregnant women with diethyl stilbesterol, and anxious patients with thalidomide, all of which led to delayed-onset, unexpected, horrible tragedies. Did you or your parents ever buy a Corvair (which was “unsafe at any speed”)? And I’m sure you can think of other products, or even social or medical trends, introduced only for their “adverse effects to be discovered later.” It’s not impossible.
I really am not a “technophobe” or luddite. In the lab, I participate in some incredibly sophisticated, technologically advanced experiments. I think first I’ll examine the effects of cell phone electromagnetic fields on mediator release in vitro (how much do you want to bet I’ll find something, for some cytokine, in some circumstance?). Then I’ll move on to experimental arthritis in animals (double or nothing?). And next I think I should be ready for fibromyalgia patients in the clinic (this will surely lead to fame and fortune).
My dogs, by the way, seem not to have suffered any ill effects from eating my cell phone.
Don’t call me, I’ll call you.
*Some of the style used in this column, particularly the use of strike-through text for comic effect, was derived from “The Life of Reilly” feature, by Rick Reilly, in Sports Illustrated, particularly that of May 17, 1999.
Dr. Panush is professor of medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
References
- Volkow ND, Tomasi D, Want G-J, et al. Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. JAMA. 2011;305:808-81.
- Lai H, Hardell L. Cell phone radiofrequency radiation exposure and brain glucose metabolism. JAMA. 2011;305:828-829.
- Mukherjee S. Do cellphones cause brain cancer? New York Times Magazine, April 13, 2011;pp. 29, 32, 34-36, 65.
- Horwitz LI, Detsky AS. Physician communication in the 21st century: To talk or to text? JAMA. 2011;305:1128-1129.
- Saravi FD. Asymmetries in hip mineralization in mobile cellular phone users. J Craniofac Surg. 2011;22:706-710.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. World Health Organization. IARC classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans. May 31, 2011, pp. 1-6.
- Rheumatology Morning Wire, June 1, 2011.
- American Cancer Society. Cellular Phones. Available at www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/cellular-phones. Updated May 31, 2011. Accessed July 15, 2011.
