Mobile phone child safety guidelines ‘to be dropped’
Posted by smeddum on September 1, 2009
Using a mobile phone is no more harmful for children than taking a hot bath or exercising, according to a new government health leaflet.
By Chris Irvine
01 Sep 2009
At least nine out of 10 British 16-year-olds have their own handset, as do more than four in 10 primary schoolchildren.
Current advice from the Department of Health had said that research showed mobile phone use “affects brain activity”, although it conceded there were “significant gaps in our scientific knowledge”.
But a draft of a new advisory leaflet for parents now makes clear that precautions need not be taken when it comes to children.
According to The Daily Mail, the draft says: “There is currently no scientific or biological evidence that radio waves cause cancer.”
Whereas overheating of the brain was considered a concern before, the new advice now says “mild heating is not a health problem. Body heating is normal and happens with exercise or in a hot bath with no ill effects.”
The new guidelines however have provoked a response from health campaigners.
Alasdair Philips, from Powerwatch, who specialise in the Microwave Radiation health debate, said children under 10 “should not use a mobile, full stop.”
“A number of international studies have found a significant increase in brain tumours among people who have used a cellphone for more than 10 years,” he said.
“It’s incredible that the notion there is no good reason to restrict children’s use of mobile phones could be the official Government line. This would be completely irresponsible and immoral.
“Parents are under pressure to buy mobiles for their children at younger and younger ages. By doing this they may well be giving them brain tumours in 30 years’ time.
“The Government seems to be more interested in axe revenue from mobile phone calls – which is about £15 billion per year now – than in the protection of public health.”
A Department of Health spokesman said that Mobile Phones and Health leaflet, published in 2005, remained their “current position”. It recommended a precautionary approach, adding “because the head and nervous system are still developing in teenagers, children and young people might be more vulnerable than adults.”
A study last September suggested that children and teenagers were five times more likely to get brain cancer if they used mobile phones.
At least nine out of 10 British 16-year-olds have their own handset, as do more than four in 10 primary schoolchildren.
In These New Times 
Mike S said
You can tell who runs the country… and it’s not the people. And they’re quite willing to sacrifice your children to make a buck. How will you get control of our country?
Trevor P said
Notice that it’s always “guidelines”. Not laws, but “guidelines”. And the UK’s “guidelines” are among the most liberal in the world. In fact, according to the guidlines it would be OK for your child to (24/7, every day for the rest of the child’s life) to be continuously exposed to ca. 5 times the radiation you get from a mobile phone that has a call. This can actually be the case if your home is situated close to a mobile phone base station. Or near several stations at once. Get yourself an electrosmog meter now! (f.ex go to lessemf.com)
(A mobile phone that has a call produces a field of ca. 8 V/m. The guidelines allow for ca. 50 V/m if I remember correctly.)
karlo said
Spot on Mike S. ‘Official’ advice on a whole range of health issues from mobile phones, safety of vaccines, radiation from power lines, aspartame…. is totally wrong. Countless independent research NOT industry funded B.S proves that our health is being placed at the lowest priority by this government. In my view ministers and leading industry experts should be held accountable for what is in effect ‘Corporate manslaughter’ no less. People should be able to sue individual ministers after they have been jailed.
John Paulstrom Southwalk said
There are those in the medical field that say expect the first wave of increased brain tumors in 2010 and then a second larger increase in 2015.
Alan Lewin said
The original article in the Mail and subsequently copied by other newspapers appears to be a figment of the Mail’s imagination. I have contacted the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency and both have denied that such a “draft publication” exists. Is this a case of press sensationalism or deliberate attempt to provoke more reaction from the lobby advising greater precautions? I hope the latter.