Mon, June 25, 2018 | Original article here.
Link to National Toxicology Program: Peer & public review of cell phone radiation study reports
Scientific Advisory Board Updates of NTP Cell Phone Radiation Studies
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) cell phone radiation studies were discussed at the NTP’s Board of Scientific Counselors Meeting on June 20, 2018. Two scientists from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Drs. Chad Blystone and Michael Wyde, made presentations to the Board.
Dr. Blystone presented a summary of the peer review of the cell phone radiation studies conducted by the NTP.
“There was robust discussion by the Peer Review Panels on the exposure system and NTP’s draft scientific interpretations. The Panel recommended increasing the NTP’s level of evidence calls regarding the heart in male and female rats, adrenal gland in male rats (GSM only), and the brain (gliomas) in male rats of both modulations.
The Panel’s comments on the draft interpretations will be captured in the peer review report, which will be posted with other meeting materials when completed. NTP will carefully consider the Panel’s recommendations when finalizing these technical reports, which will be published on the NTP website in fall 2018 at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36144.”
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/bsc/2018/june/meetingmaterials/blystone20180620_508.pdf
Dr. Wyde summarized the results of the cell phone radiation studies:
“The primary finding observed in mice in these studies was increased DNA damage in cells of the frontal cortex of RFR-exposed male mice (both GSM and CDMA). This finding was not associated with any change in brain tumors in the 2-year studies; however, elevated incidences of neoplastic lesions were observed in male (skin and lung) and female mice (malignant lymphomas).
In the rat studies, exposures were initiated in utero and consistently resulted in exposure concentration-related decreases in pup body weight and body weight gains during the perinatal period. In general, decreased pup survival was observed at the higher levels of RFR tested. Increased DNA damage in cells of the hippocampus and frontal cortex was observed in RFR-exposed male mice from the CDMA study. Lower survival in control group was observed and attributed to high severity of chronic progressive nephropathy. At the end of the 2-year studies, increased incidences were observed in malignant schwannomas and right ventricular cardiomyopathy in the heart, malignant gliomas in the brain, and pheochromocytoma in the adrenal medulla (GSM only) of male rats.”
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/bsc/2018/june/meetingmaterials/wyde20180620_508.pdf
Dr. Wyde also discussed followup studies that NTP plans to conduct:
“Follow-up studies will seek to investigate the perinatal effects, and further characterize organ-specific effects (heart, brain, adrenal medulla) in rats via immuno- and enzyme-histochemistry and molecular pathology methods. The impact of RFR exposure on behavior and stress will be further investigated, including the assessment of activity, response to system-generated noise and RFR signals, evaluation of stress indicators, measurement of stress hormones, and heart rate.
The primary areas of mechanistic research will include investigation into the role of heat as a contributing factor to RFR-induced effects, oxidative stress mechanisms, changes in gene expression in multiple tissues, and the effect on DNA damage and repair.
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/bsc/2018/june/meetingmaterials/wyde20180620_508.pdf
Written public comments were also submitted by the following parties:
- Link to public comment by Dr. Annie Sasco
- Link to public comment by P.K. Mahesh
- Link to public comment by the Environmental Working Group
- Link to public comment by Phonegate Alert.
The comments supported the study design, the peer review panel’s interpretation of results, the need for NTP to conduct health research on newer wireless technology, and the importance of public health warnings about exposure to cell phone radiation.