Lab opens for 3G health trial

November 29, 2004

A new laboratory opened Monday at the University of Essex for the purpose of testing possible side effects of mobile phone masts. The lab replicates signals emitted from current mobile masts and also from transmitters using new 3G technology.

Despite health concerns regarding radiation from mobile phones, no one study found conclusive evidences that radiation from will have harmful effects on the human body. Previous reports said either mobile phones were safe to use or that further trials were required. Even so, the government has issued guidelines for minimising health risks from using mobile phones such as limiting conversation on the phone.

The debate of mobile phone safety ignited last year when research suggested that radiation from 3G radio masts could cause sickness in people within the emission range, even non-mobile phone users.

The university's department of psychology is to conduct tests on several hundred people who claim to have had an adverse reaction to mobile phone masts as well as a control group of volunteers who have not reported any effects.

Professor Elaine Fox, who is leading the project, said it is important that research into potential risks keeps pace with development in mobile technology.

"Our laboratory is equipped to play an important role in understanding the effects of the electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phone base stations on health."

Volunteers in the trial will be exposed to signals as close and realistic to signals from commercial mobile masts. The experiment will implement a "double-blind" test, meaning volunteers nor the researchers will know what - if any - signals the subjects were exposed to.

Professor Simon Saunders, chief technology officer at Cellular Design Services which built the lab, suggested a small percentage of the population could be affected more than the rest of the population by mobile phone masts

The study is expected to last a year.