Phonegate Alert criticizes WHO study on mobile phone risks

Phonegate Alert criticizes WHO study on mobile phone risks
By : Phonegate Team • 19 Sep 2024

Phonegate Alert calls for a critical analysis of the recent WHO study on health risks of mobile phones

Paris, September 18, 2024 – The Phonegate Alert association demands a thorough and independent examination of the results of a recently published study by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study, which concludes there are no risks of brain cancer linked to mobile phone use, raises numerous questions about its methodology and impartiality.

Biased selection? Only 63 studies out of 5,379 retained for WHO analysis

The WHO study screened 5,379 scientific publications published between 1994 and 2022. However, only 63 of them were subjected to in-depth examination, raising questions about the selection criteria.

Among these studies is Mobi-Kids, whose impartiality has been questioned by a Phonegate Alert investigation, revealing serious conflicts of interest with the mobile phone industry. The use of the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach to assess the quality of evidence also raises concerns.

GRADE: An unsuitable method for assessing long-term risks of radiofrequencies

Although widely used, the GRADE method has significant limitations in assessing long-term health risks. It favors randomized clinical trials, which are difficult to conduct for prolonged environmental exposures. This approach tends to undervalue observational studies, which are crucial for understanding the long-term effects of radiofrequencies. Moreover, GRADE often minimizes the importance of mechanistic evidence and animal studies, which are essential in this field.

5G and long-term exposure: The blind spots of the WHO study

The WHO study neglects two crucial aspects: the long-term effects of recent technologies like 5G and the difficulty of accurately measuring individual exposure to waves over long periods.

Furthermore, as demonstrated by Phonegate Alert, the study does not take into account the systematic non-compliance with regulatory exposure levels by mobile phone manufacturers, a practice highlighted by our association that has persisted for years.

These gaps raise questions about the relevance of the study’s conclusions in the face of current and future technological challenges, as well as the reality of exposures experienced by users.

Troubling links between researchers and industry: The study’s independence in question

Alerte Phonegate is calling for full transparency concerning the sources of funding for this study and the potential links between the researchers and industry. In fact, several of the scientists involved have close links with the ICNIRP, a so-called “independent” organization close to the WHO, which was recently criticized in a report by MEPs Klaus Buchner and Michele Rivasi for its connections with the telecommunications industry.

Among the authors of the WHO study, three are ICNIRP members: Ken Karipidis (Australia, Radiation Protection), Maria Blettner (Germany, Epidemiology), and Martin Röösli (Switzerland, Environmental Epidemiology).

The case of Prof. Martin Röösli is particularly concerning. From 2011 to 2018, he was an unpaid board member of the Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication, linked to ETH Zurich.

These connections raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Given these troubling links, the association insists on the urgency of conducting complementary studies by completely independent organizations, funded by public funds.

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