MYTH Doctors dismiss fear of health risks, say mobile tower radiation lower than emissions from FM radio, TV
MUMBAI: Coming out to pitch their stand in the debate over the link between radiation emitted from mobile towers and cancer and other health risks, doctors from the Mumbai wing of the Indian Medical Association ( IMA) affirmed that there were no findings to establish that mobile tower radiation causes cancer or any such diseases.Addressing a press conference on the issue on Tuesday, doctors dismissed the fear of possible cancer risks owing to mobile tower radiation as unwarranted.
Reacting to the growing concern over radiation emitted from mobile towers, Dr SK Joshi, president of IMA – Mumbai West, said, “Mobile tower radiation is lower compared to Radio Frequency emissions from FM radio and television which have been in operation for more than 50 years without any known health consequences.”
The IMA, which is a voluntary organisation of doctors, has based its stand on several studies conducted on the effects of radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure that have not concluded any convincing evidence of radiation below the international standard limit of 4,500 milliwatts per square metre causing any health effects in adults or children.
However, there has been a growing demand for an India-centric
study on the issue taking into account population density and mobile
tower and antennae installation patterns in the country. The union
ministry of communications and information technology (IT) has
commissioned a study headed by Dr NK Ganguly, former director general of
Indian Council of Medical Research to study the effects of radiation
from mobile towers on citizens and the ecology.
However, the IMA claimed that the radiation limit set by the centre was already one-tenth of the international standards, thereby ruling out any health risks or the need for a separate study.
“As misconceptions and misinformation add to the prevailing confusion over the subject, the government must circulate the WHO advisory and fact sheets in regional languages to spread awareness,” said Dr Parthiv Sanghvi, secretary of IMA – Mumbai West.
However, contradicting this viewpoint, some doctors said that exercising adequate precaution was still necessary.
“Today, it cannot be unequivocally said that EMF radiation does or does not cause cancer. But, the logic does point to a potential for harmful effects and increasing risks of cancer,” said Dr Anand Gokani, consulting physician, Bombay Hospital.
However, the IMA claimed that the radiation limit set by the centre was already one-tenth of the international standards, thereby ruling out any health risks or the need for a separate study.
“As misconceptions and misinformation add to the prevailing confusion over the subject, the government must circulate the WHO advisory and fact sheets in regional languages to spread awareness,” said Dr Parthiv Sanghvi, secretary of IMA – Mumbai West.
However, contradicting this viewpoint, some doctors said that exercising adequate precaution was still necessary.
“Today, it cannot be unequivocally said that EMF radiation does or does not cause cancer. But, the logic does point to a potential for harmful effects and increasing risks of cancer,” said Dr Anand Gokani, consulting physician, Bombay Hospital.
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