Mobile phones health threat is real and there is ample scientific evidence to prove it
When Communications Minister Noel Dempsey ruled out health warnings for mobile phones at the beginning of December he said that he relied on officials with expertise to advise him on health issues relating to electromagnetic energy. Surely his and the finance minister’s advisers must be aware of recent studies which show an alarming increase in illnesses in people living in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations and in those using mobile phones, especially children and young adults.
Junior Finance Minister Tom Parlon confirmed that a deal is being negotiated by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to put up mobile phone masts on many state-owned buildings. This is yet another sweetheart deal with big industry.
As early as 1987 Swedish scientists discovered in experiments on rats that microwaves open the blood/brain barrier with the result that albumin, a very large protein, can enter the brain.
Albumin often carries environmental or other poisons in the bloodstream into the brain (eg, in case of an infection or mercury from amalgam tooth fillings).
The results of these experiments have been confirmed by many international scientists.
The likelihood that the human blood/brain barrier is broken down the same way was confirmed by the German environmental reseacher, Dr Bodo Kuklinski, who measured the amount of the so-called S-100 protein and found the opening of the blood/brain barrier in people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
He found a peak of S-100 protein in teenagers after they had made mobile phone calls.
Peculiarly, studies commissioned by the mobile phone industry didn’t show any significant results.
A study in the Bavarian town of Naila (by H Eger, et al , published in the latest issue of ‘Umwelt, Medizin, Gesellschaft,’ 4/2004) shows that cancer rates in people living within a 400m radius of a mobile phone base station trebled within the past nine years. Two other recent European studies found a significant link between radiation from mobile phone base stations and symptoms in people living in the vicinity.
The most frequent symptoms are of a neurological nature: severe headaches, often the first sign of brain tumours, nausea, dizziness, vertigo, sleeping disorders, lack of concentration, memory loss, irritability, difficulties when speaking, malaise, fatigue, depressive tendencies and cardiovascular problems.
The guaranteed €100m for the state coffers won’t be nearly enough to cover the increasing costs in health (cancer cases will rise dramatically), education (there will be far more special needs children), the cost to business due to loss in working hours and a large number of insurance claims due to an increase in the number of accidents and resultant costs arising from police investigations.
On January 1 of this year a group of international physicians and researchers launched the Helsinski Appeal 2005, asking members of the European Parliament to act promptly for the adoption of the new safety standard in the EU.
A number of questions should be put to the Government: will there be epidemiological studies on people living near mobile phone installations. If not, why not?
Does the term state-owned buildings also mean schools, colleges and courthouses? Radiation from mobile phone stations deprive pupils and students of the basic requirements of learning - concentration and memory.
Will the Government publish a list of all mobile phone installations. If not, why not? When prices fall for houses near mobile phone base stations, will the Government grant compensation to house owners?
Will the Government put up warning signs like: “Entering this area can seriously damage your health?”
Dorothee Krien
9 Mathew Place
Blackrock Road
Ballintemple
Cork
