No ill-effects on health but correct use advisable - operators

Children under eight should not have mobiles, a UK National Radiological Protection Board study has concluded, but mobile phone operators maintain that no adverse health effects have been established.

The report by the NRPB, a government advisory group, is the latest in a series of studies looking into the safety of mobile phones and masts.

NRPB chairman Sir William Stewart has said he believed mobiles may pose potential health risks to kids, although it was not yet proven.

He has been quoted by the UK press as saying: "I don't think we can put our hands on our hearts and say mobile phones are safe".

Sir William has said European studies suggested a link between mobiles and ear tumours and that if the health risk did exist it would be greater for children than for adults and the younger, the more dangerous.

It would be wrong to allow children under eight years old to use mobile phones regularly, he said, the issue revolving more around over-use.

However, local and UK mobile phone operators have focused on the fact that the NRPB study, Mobile Phones And Health, has found no conclusive evidence that mobile phones are harmful.

In the UK, the operators welcomed the fact that Sir William's report highlighted the lack of proof that links handsets with adverse health effects.

Nevertheless, despite the "lack of hard evidence" on the harmful aspect of mobile phones, local mobile phone companies have stressed that it is their policy "not to market the phones directly to children".

It is Vodafone Malta's policy to turn down promotional opportunities it deems inappropriate because of the potential connection to young children. "While no adverse health effects from the use of mobile phones by children have been established, Vodafone recognises that parents may be concerned.

"However, it has been clearly established that mobile phones can and do provide personal safety benefits, particularly in relation to maintaining contact with parents and accessing help in emergency situations, the company added.

"Vodafone recognises that parents may choose to balance the decision on access and the extent of usage of mobile phones by children with the safety and security benefits they provide."

Highlighting the overall message of the UK NRPB report, which, it said, was on the same lines as the previous Stewart study, Go Mobile said its main conclusion is that there is no hard evidence at present that the health of the public, in general, is being affected adversely by the use of mobile phone technologies but uncertainties remain and a continued precautionary approach to their use is recommended until the situation is further clarified.

"As we believe that it should be parents who decide if and to what extent children should use a mobile phone, the company has consciously kept away from promoting mobile phone usage among children under the age of 16."

Moreover, as a matter of policy, Go Mobile does not sell mobile phones to minors unless accompanied by an adult.

"We also believe that parents should be aware of the precautionary approach being suggested by the NRPB and we suggest that they balance this against the potential safety and peace of mind benefits that results from the appropriate use by children of mobile phones," it said.

Go Mobile also pointed out that the Health Council of The Netherlands, the US Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organisation are of the opinion that current safety standards provide a substantial margin of protection for everyone, including children.

Last year, a 750-people study by Sweden's Karolinska Institute suggested that using a mobile phone for 10 years or more increases the risk of ear tumours by four times. A Dutch study has suggested mobile phone use can affect brain function and further research from Europe indicated radiation from the phones can cause DNA damage.

But Adam Burgess, a lecturer in sociology at Kent University, published research a year ago dismissing claims that mobile phones are harmful. "As far as I am concerned mobile phones are safe to use. There may be some unknown risk that could appear at some unknown date in the future but we have to balance that against the benefits of using them.

"Parents have to weigh that benefit against any possible unknown health effects in the future," Dr Burgess has been quoted as saying.

There are parents who argue that mobile phones are given to their kids for other safety reasons but they should ensure their children use them only when absolutely necessary, experts have suggested.

In the UK, one in four children aged between seven and 10 owns a mobile phone - double the levels in 2001.