Radiation project

Cellphone radiation project: Nokia withdrew funding, scientist says

 

 

 

 

 

NEW DELHI: A Finland based scientist said he has observed that human cells change their structure when exposed to radiation from mobile phones, but could not conclude whether it is harmful or not because funding for the study stopped.

The scientist Dariusz Leszczynski said that he was working on a research for which funding was promised by a Finnish organization Tekes, where about 70% fund for research is public money and rest comes from industry.

"When we found that cell phone effects human body the funding stopped because cell phone manufacturers Nokia and Teliasonnera said they don't like it. The scientific advisory board has industry partners as members. If industry partners doesn't likes a research, it is often not funded by Tekes," he told PTI.

"There is effect of cell phone radiation emitted at present levels of safety standards. Protein structure in human skin changes. We could not conclude whether it is harmful or not because our funding stopped," Leszczynski said.

Nokia refuted allegations levelled by the scientist. "We refute the claims made by Dr Leszczynski, as we have done when he has raised them before with media in Finland. Nokia believes that an independent research effort is the best way to provide the information which consumers want about the safety of their products," Nokia spokesperson Maija Taimi said.

Taimi said that Microsoft has acquired mobile device business of Nokia and therefore handsets related queries should be send to them.

"That said, for Nokia, product safety has always been a key consideration and Nokia branded devices comply with relevant international exposure guidelines and limits that are set by public health authorities such as those in India," Taimi said.

Microsoft Devices and Teliasonera did not reply to email queries sent to them.

Leszczynski said that the research conducted by him was on small group of people and there was need to scale it up for which funding was required.

He said his research observed changes in human skin cell structure even from cell phone emitting radiation at specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.3. Cell phones with SAR value 1.6 and below are permitted for sale in India.

An Indian firm Environics too shared that a joint study conducted by them with Max Healthcare Institute found change in pulse rate after using anti-radiation products.

"As per analysis done by Statistician of Max Healthcare, Change in pulse rate after using Enviro Chip and the difference between actual and dummy chip is statistically significant," Environics managing director Ajay Poddar said.