195The biological effects of radio frequency energy should notbe confused with the effects from other types ofelectromagnetic energy.Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as is foundin X-rays and gamma rays, can ionize biological tissues.Ionization is a process where electrons are stripped awayfrom their normal locations in atoms and molecules. It canpermanently damage biological tissues including DNA, thegenetic material.The energy levels associated with radio frequency energy,including both radio waves and microwaves, are not greatenough to cause ionization of atoms and molecules.Therefore, RF energy is a type of non-ionizing radiation.Other types of non-ionizing radiation include visible light,infrared radiation (heat), and other forms of electromagneticradiation with relatively low frequencies.While RF energy does not ionize particles, large amounts canincrease body temperatures and cause tissue damage. Twoareas of the body, the eyes and the testes, are particularlyvulnerable to RF heating because there is relatively littleblood flow in them to carry away excess heat.Research Results to Date: Is there a connectionbetween RF and certain health problems?The results of most studies conducted to date say no. Inaddition, attempts to replicate and confirm the few studiesthat have shown a connection have failed.The scientific community at large therefore believes that theweight of scientific evidence does not show an associationbetween exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) from cell phonesand adverse health outcomes. Still the scientific communityhas supported additional research to address gaps inknowledge. Some of these studies are described below.Interphone StudyInterphone is a large international study designed todetermine whether cell phones increase the risk of head andneck cancer. A report published in the International Journalof Epidemiology (June, 2010) compared cell phone usage formore than 5,000 people with brain tumors (glioma andmeningioma) and a similar number of healthy controls.Results of this study did NOT show that cell phones causedbrain cancer. In this study, most people had no increased riskof brain cancer from using cell phones. For people with theheaviest use of cell phones (an average of more than ½ hourper day, every day, for over 10 years) the study suggested a
