What's New Robert L. Park 3 Jun 2011

WHAT=92S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 3 Jun 2011   Washington, DC

1. WHO=92S ON FIRST?  WITH APOLOGIES TO BUD ABBOT AND LOU COSTELLO.
My science-reporter friend, Naif, called this week about cell phones. =20
Here's how it went.  Naif: "Who said there=92s no evidence that radiation=
=20
from cell phones causes brain cancer?"  BP: "WHO did, but that was about =
a=20
year ago."  Naif: "That's what I asked, who did?  The International Agenc=
y=20
for Research on Cancer (IARC) says cell phone radiation =91may be=20
carcinogenic=92." BP: "IARC is WHO."  Naif: "Why ask me? I don't know who=
.=20
Besides, shouldn't that be =91whom=92?" BP: Last year they said that no a=
dverse=20
health effects have been established for mobile phone use."  Naif: "That'=
s=20
still true, but who said it?"  BP: "I told you; WHO said it after a $14=20
million epidemiological study of cell phone use in 13 countries." =20
Naif: "Then who is IARC?=94  BP: "Strictly speaking IARC is part of WHO."=
 =20
Naif: "I don't know who it=92s part of.  That=91s why I asked."

2. CELL PHONES: THE CREDIBILITY OF SCIENCE IS BASED ON OPENNESS.
Let's be open with the public. A Working Group of 31 scientists from 14=20
countries met at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) i=
n=20
Lyon, France from May 24=9631 to assess the potential carcinogenic hazard=
s=20
from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.  The Working Grou=
p=20
conducted no further study, and gathered no additional evidence. =20
Nevertheless, based on an increased risk for glioma, a usually fatal brai=
n=20
cancer, they voted to classify radiofrequency electromagnetic fields=20
as, "possibly carcinogenic to humans."  Let's do a little epidemiology of=
=20
our own.  There are 5 billion cell phones distributed among the 7 billion=
=20
people on Earth.  But, as the New York Times reported this morning, brain=
=20
cancer rates in the US have been declining for two decades.  Does this te=
ll=20
us that cell phones prevent brain cancer?  Alas, no.  The increase in cel=
l=20
phone use only started one decade ago. It tells us is that epidemiology=20
alone is a lousy guide for making policy. There is far too much "noise" i=
n=20
the data.  So far, only photons more energetic than visible light have be=
en=20
shown to create mutant strands of DNA.  "Maybe it's a multi-photon=20
process," I'm told.  A two-photon process is possible, even a three-photo=
n=20
process, but it would take 1 million microwave photons working in tandem =
to=20
overcome the work function.  So find a mechanism.  But please don't infli=
ct=20
more case-control epidemiology on a paranoid public.

BAD DIAGNOSIS: THE HIGH COST OF IGNORANCE.
Why would it be such a big deal to use earphones?  No big deal.  I alread=
y=20
use an amplifier in each year so I can hear the birds outside my office. =
=20
Let me ask why would it be such a big deal to let people know how=20
electromagnetic radiation causes cancer?  Bullshit is dangerous.  In 1998=
=20
in London, Andrew Wakefield a British gastroenterologist, warned that the=
=20
MMR vaccine causes autism.  In the following months the papers daily=20
carried stories of the tragedy of autism and the heroic doctor who had=20
found the cause.  In the months following, MMR vaccinations of children=20
dropped from 90% to 70%.  In 2006, the first child in more than a decade=20
died of measles in London.  In the first four months of 2011, the HPA=20
reported 334 cases of measles, a 10 fold increase over the same period a=20
year earlier.  In France, 7000 cases have been reported this year.  Autis=
m=20
was unaffected. http://bobpark.physics.umd.edu/WN11/wn010711.html=20

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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