WRITTEN QUESTION E-1945/02

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 July 2002)

Subject: Health implications of mobile-phone use

Research carried out by scientists at the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (published in the European press on 20 June 2002) shows that radiation from mobile phones may cause damage to the system supplying blood to the brain. In particular, it was established that exposing brain cells to radiation from mobile phones causes damage to the security barrier which prevents harmful substances in blood from reaching the brain.

In view of the fact that a research study carried out by a scientific committee on behalf of the Commission into the possible effects of electromagnetic fields, radio frequencies and microwave radiation on human health does not rule out exposure to very low-frequency magnetic fields causing cancer in humans and that, in reply to my previous question on the same subject (H-0254/00)(1), the Commission stated that it did not have reliable information establishing a direct link between the level of radiation emissions from mobile phones and possible effects on health, what is the Commission's evaluation of this new data and what measures will it propose to protect consumers?

(1) Written answer of 11.4.2000.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(20 August 2002)

The study referred to in the written question of the Honourable Member was cited in the press in Finland already in April 2002 and in the European press in June. It was claimed that a study conducted by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) in Finland had found that exposing human cells to one hour of radiation from mobile phones triggered a response which normally only occurs when cells are being damaged. It was also claimed that these changes in the human cells could disable a safety barrier, which was meant to protect the human brain from harmful substances in the blood and that if occurring repeatedly over a long period of time, might become a health hazard and cause brain tissue damage.

The study in question is part of a project supported under the 5th Community Research and Technological Development Framework Programme, Quality of Life, Key Action 4: Environment and Health. The project is called Reflex (Risk evaluation of potential environmental hazards from low-energy electromagnetic field exposure using sensitive in vitro methods). It is due to end in August 2003 and only then it will be possible to draw any definitive conclusions from it or to propose further research needs.

The Commission has contacted STUK (Mrs Salomaa, Research Director) and the Coordinator of the Reflex project, Professor Adlkofer of the VERUM Foundation in order to receive clarification on this issue and the following are the facts:

The study was published in a scientific journal (Differention) two months ago. It is an in vitro study performed with cell cultures. The cell lines used were human endothelial cells (blood vessel cells). When these cells were exposed in vitro to mobile phone radiation, changes in phophorylation and expression of several proteins was observed. These proteins included the heat shock protein hsp27. However, these biochemical changes were small and reversible (the effect disappeared about one hour after the exposure ceased).

This study has two points that are new and interesting: 1) the cells react to mobile phone radiation and show a response, and 2) this effect is non-thermal (there was no change in cell culture temperature, it occurs already at 2 SAR level). However, cells do respond to a variety of environmental and endogenous stimuli, including heat, pH and hormones. At the moment it is not possible even to say whether the observed effect is harmful or not.

The future aim of this research group is to study, whether such changes could cause any negative health effects and therefore they propose a hypothesis on the potential effect on the brain-blood barrier, as they were indeed studying blood vessel cells. The blood-brain barrier acts as a filter between blood circulation and brain, protecting brain from a range of substances, like toxins and some proteins. This is just a hypothesis for future research nothing so far has been proven.

As regards the protection of health, the Commission in accordance with the latest opinion of the Scientific Committee on Toxicology, Ecotoxicology and the Environment (SCTEE), which has reaffirmed in its opinion published in November 2001 the validity of the limits of the 12th July Council Recommendation, does not intend to take additional measures for the time being. Nevertheless, the Commission and the SCTEE will regularly keep the matter under review.