To: Professor Deirdre Murray, Director, National Cancer Registry Ireland
Regarding the Article in the Irish Times on 27th February 2025 Is there a connection between a mobile phone and cancer?
https://www.irishtimes.com/health/your-wellness/2025/02/27/mobile-phones-and-cancer/
The article specifically addressing the use of mobile phones and cancer concluded that ‘based on the research analysis, there is no association between long-term use of a phone (10 years or more) and brain cancer incidence, and no link between the amount of use and brain cancer (how long a person spends on their phone) was found’. The writer of the article, Geraldine Walsh was referring to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) review: The effect of exposure to radiofrequency fields on cancer risk in the general and working population: A systematic review of human observational studies – Part I: Most researched outcomes. By Ken Karipidis et al; 2024
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024005695
As the Director of the National Cancer Registry you were quoted as having welcomed this WHO review stating that it ‘provides the best evidence to date that using mobile phones does not cause brain cancer.’ and that ‘it also provides further reassurance that time spent on the phone or number of years using a mobile phone does not increase cancer.’ Your statement concluded ‘The findings of this report are consistent with what we have experienced in Ireland. Irish use of mobile phones has soared since 1994, but NCRI data shows that brain cancer incidence rates have remained stable.’
Your statement seems to convey a ready acceptance, without scrutiny, of the conclusions of this WHO review. To clearly assess the authenticity of the content of a report or review other aspects need to be examined e.g. the source of funding, identification of any potential conflicts of interest, influences, and the make-up and background of the authors. Some authors of this WHO review are connected with The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The ICNIRP was established by members of the WHO-EMF Project and has a history of conflicts of interest: The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection: Conflicts of interest, corporate capture and the push for 5G byKlaus Buchner and Michèle Rivasi (MEPs)
The ICNIRP produced the guidelines on radiofrequency radiation (EMF/RF) that have been adopted by the European Union and other countries for use with modern tech, including mobile phones. These guidelines are based only on the heating of the body by EMF/RF and not on potential biological effects. Current science clearly demonstrates that these guidelines are not protective of people or other living things. The false assumptions within the ICNIRP guidelines are well documented and a paper published by the International Commission on Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) (2022) provides an explanation:
It should be noted that a large number of critical analyses of the WHO Systematic Review (as mentioned in the Irish Times article) have been forwarded to the WHO in response. These have been produced by independent scientists who have worked for many years in the field of health risks from non-ionising radiofrequency microwave radiation as used for tech devices, including mobile phones. Links to some of these evaluations are provided here as a means of being helpful and for a broader knowledge and understanding:
NEW PUBLICATION: WHO CELL PHONE RADIATION CANCER STUDY IS “SERIOUSLY FLAWED”
International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
Else K Nordhagen, Einar Flydal
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38981511/
Phonegate Alert criticizes WHO study on mobile phone risks
Old Wine in New Bottles. Decoding New WHO-ICNIRP Cancer Review – Microwave News Article
https://microwavenews.com/news-center/old-wine-new-bottles
A critical appraisal of the WHO 2024 systematic review of the effects of RF-EMF exposure on tinnitus, migraine/headache, and non-specific symptoms John W. Frank et al
There are currently thousands of reports that contradict the belief that there are no adverse effects from the microwave radiation being emitted from mobile phones and other tech devices. A helpful Review and Meta-Analysis, specifically about mobile phones and tumours, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020). Writers include Joel Moskowitz PhD of SaferEMR.
At the point of completing this communication, a new review has been produced partially funded by the WHO (May 2025). The findings of this new review demonstrate high to moderate certainty of evidence linking microwave radiation exposure to different types of tumours: especially gliomas of the brain and malignant schwannomas in the heart.
Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on cancer in laboratory animal studies, a systematic review
These findings coincide with those of the National Toxicology Program (USA) and the Ramazzini Institute Study (Italy) (2018).
Professor Tom Butler of University College Cork has responded publically to the Irish Times article to iron out truths and provide further understanding regarding the contradiction between the WHO review as mentioned in the Irish Times and the new review just released (May 2025).
If you have read this correspondence, Thank you,
Ethna Monks
Member of Electromagnetic Sense Ireland
Electromagnetic Sense Ireland 