from Merrymeeting News, Spring 2016
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) under the National Institutes of Health has completed the largest-ever animal (rats and mice) study on non ionizing radiation and cancer. Partial results released on May 26th confirm whole body exposures to low level radio frequency radiation (RFR) of the type emitted by cell phones, smart meters and other wireless devices and within currently allowable safety limits, are the “likely cause” of brain and heart cancers in these animals, according to Dr. John Bucher, Associate Director of the NTP.
The $25 million dollar study planned since 1999 showed one in twelve (12) male rats (8.3%) developed either malignant cancer (brain and rare heart tumors) or pre-cancerous lesions that can lead to cancer. Tumors called schwannomas were induced in the heart, and in the same kind of brain cells that have led to acoustic neuromas seen in human studies. The NTP says it is important to release these completed findings now given the implications to global health. No cancers occurred in the control group.
Dr. Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD of Sweden’s Orebro University and an expert witness in the Maine Smart Meter Health Investigation says “ (T)he animal study confirms our findings in epidemiological studies of an increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma among people that use wireless phones, both cell phones and cordless phones (DECT). Acoustic neuroma is a type of Schwannoma, so interestingly this study confirms findings in humans of increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma. In 2013 we called for upgrading the risk in humans to Group 1, the agent is carcinogenic to humans. It is now time to re-evaluate both the cancer risk and other potential health effects in humans from radio frequency radiation and also inform the public,” says Hardell. “This NTP evidence is greatly strengthening the evidence of risk, is sufficient to reclassify cell phone radiation as a known cancer-causing agent,and confirms the inadequacy of existing public safety limits.” Dr. Christopher Portier, formerly with the NTP commented this is not just an associated finding—but that the relationship between radiation exposure and cancer is clear.“I would call it a causative study, absolutely. They controlled everything in the study. It’s [the cancer] because of the exposure. This is by far—far and away—the most carefully done cell phone bio assay, a biological assessment. This is a classic study that is done for trying to understand cancers in humans” More(scroll down to page 4 of Merrymeeting News)