DoT: Mobiles can harm pacemakers

Publication: The Times Of India Mumbai; Date:2012 Feb 09; Section:Times Nation; Page Number 13


DoT: Mobiles can harm pacemakers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: People with medical implants like pacemakers must not keep their cellphones in their shirt pockets.
The latest directive by the department of telecommunication (DoT) says that “people having active medical implants should preferably keep the cellphone at least 15cm away from the implant.”
An office memorandum, circulated by the ministry of communications and IT on January 25, says manufacturer’s mobile handset booklets will have to contain the safety precaution. “Necessary changes in the design and packaging for compliance with this instruction will have to be in place on or before September 1,” MoS for communications and IT Sachin Pilot told TOI. Senior cardiologist at Escorts Heart Research Centre Dr Aparna Jaswal said it is safe for patients with implants to talk on a cellphone, but they
must avoid placing it directly over the pacemaker implantation site when the device is turned on.
“The pacemaker could misinterpret the cellphone signal as a heartbeat and withhold pacing, producing symptoms such as sudden fatigue,” Dr Jaswal said.

2nd Workshop on Cell Phone/Tower Radiation Hazards and Solutions

We are glad to announce the 2^nd Workshop on Cell Phone/Tower Radiation Hazards and Solutions to be held on 9^th July 2012 at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) organized by Prof. Girish Kumar, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay. The first workshop was held on 20^th Nov 2011 at VMCC, IIT Bombay. More than 100 people had attended the workshop including several representatives from cellular industry, doctors, researchers, concerned citizens and eminent Bollywood celebrity supporting the cause. The objective is to create awareness of health risk   associated with long term cell phone/ tower radiation exposure, harmful biological effects on plants growth, animals, bees and insects and also to explore the recent advances in this field.

For Further Details:  

Antenna/Microwave Lab

Department of Electrical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay  

Phone: 022-2576 4433       

Email : workshop.radiation2012@gmail.com

Organized by:

Prof. Girish Kumar

Department of Electrical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Phone : 022-2576 7436

Email : gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in
 http://www.ee.iitb.ac.in/~mwave/workshop2