Today, the President's Cancer Panel issued its report, Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk. The #1 recommendation is to adopt a precautionary outlook: "A precautionary, prevention-oriented approach should replace current reactionary approaches to environmental contaminants in which human harm must be proven before action is taken to reduce or eliminate exposure" (p.103). The panel also states that, "It is vitally important to recognize that children are far more susceptible to damage from environmental carcinogens" (p.111).
One notable quote from Martha Linet, the head of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch at the National Cancer Institute (NCI): "[T]he most urgent issue that we need to address … is whether children or adolescents using cell phones are at increased risk" (p.58, see also p.A-55).
With respect to cell phones, the panel advises: "Adults and children can reduce their exposure to electromagnetic energy by wearing a headset when using a cell phone, texting instead of calling and keeping calls brief" (p.112).
