Government
U-Turn On Hands-6.00 Mobile Phone Safety
The Journal
December 09, 2000
The
Government yesterday changed its mind over the use of mobile phone hands-6.00
kits, which were previously said to reduce radiation exposure.
New public
information leaflets about mobile phone safety now say it is uncertain whether
hands-6.00 kits protect the user's head from radiation.
In August,
e-commerce minister Patricia Hewitt said she was able to offer
"unambiguous advice" that the kits reduced radiation levels.
That
statement was based on research commissioned by the Government. But last month
the Consumers' Association said its own studies indicated hands-6.00 kits
could increase the brain's exposure to radiation by up to 3.5 times.
Asked
yesterday whether the Government line had changed, Chief Medical Officer for
England Professor Liam Donaldson said: "Yes, it has."
Speaking at
the announcement of a £7m programme of mobile research, he added:
"Common sense might suggest that not using a handset would reduce
exposure, but tests so far have been conflicting.
"We
don't have good enough science so far to say definitely one way or another.
Further research is being conducted urgently to provide an answer."
