Are mobile phones safe?

Are mobile phones safe?. More than 27 million people in Britain and more than 300 million worldwide own one. The total number of users in the world is expected to reach one billion by 2005.

But are mobile phones really safe? The Government has announced a multi million pound research programme looking into the possible health hazards of mobile phones. Here we look at the risks.

Fact File

History The first mobile phones cost around £2,700, but prices plummeted as technology advanced and many companies now offer handsets for free in special deals to attract new customers.

The risks Mobile phones emit microwaves similar to those used in microwave ovens, but at a much lower power level. They have generated a multitude of scare stories, including suggestions that they cause cancer and memory loss, but the industry insists there is no evidence they have any harmful effects. The main health effect noticed by researchers is the fact that drivers are at more risk of crashes while talking into the handsets.

Research Research into mobiles includes a study at the University Neurology Clinic in Freiburg, Germany, which claimed they can increase blood pressure - the rise was small, but could be harmful to people with high blood pressure, said researchers.

Dr Kjell-Hansson Mild, at the National Institute of Working Life in Umea, Sweden, conducted tests on 11,000 mobile users which suggested regular use could lead to fatigue, headaches, and skin irritation.

A University of Bristol team, led by Dr Alan Preece, found no evidence of mobile phone users suffering impairment of memory, spatial awareness or attention span.

Stress and cancer Research at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, suggested that microwaves can induce stress. Swedish cancer specialist Dr Lennart Hardell has claimed to have found a correlation between which side of the head mobile users hold their handset and the location of tumours. ( dailymail.co.uk )