Could cell phone radiation pose a danger? HHS wants to know Image By HPN Staff Key Points HHS has launched a federal study to reassess potential health effects of cellphone and wireless radiation, marking a shift from longstanding federal assurances that current exposure limits pose no proven risks. The review, part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, includes removal of prior FDA language declaring cellphone radiation safe, though officials emphasize this reflects reevaluation rather than new evidence. While supporters frame the effort as a scientific gap analysis, critics warn it could generate public confusion given that major agencies and decades of research have not established a clear link between cellphone use and cancer. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a federal study to investigate whether radiation from cellphones and other wireless devices could affect human health, a shift from longstanding guidance that radiation within current limits poses no proven risks. The review is part of the administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative and follows recent updates to public information from the Food and Drug Administration. The study aims to better understand the potential health effects of cellphone radiation and to evaluate areas where existing research may be limited. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly expressed concern about the possible health effects of electromagnetic exposure. Why it matters Cellphones are widely used in the United States and federal guidance affects how devices are tested, marketed and regulated. Changes in government guidance could influence consumer expectations and industry practices. Supporters describe the review as a scientific reassessment, while critics caution it could create confusion without evidence of harm. “The FDA removed web pages with old conclusions about cellphone radiation while HHS undertakes a study on electromagnetic radiation and health research to identify gaps in knowledge, including on new technologies, to ensure safety and efficacy,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The big picture Federal agencies, including the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Communications Commission, have long maintained that cellphone radiation within established limits is safe. The FCC sets exposure limits based on decades of research, and large population studies have not found a clear link between cellphone use and cancer. Brain tumor rates have remained stable even as cellphone use has surged. Some animal studies have shown higher tumor rates in rodents exposed to high levels of older-generation radiation, though scientists debate how relevant these findings are to modern phones, which operate at lower levels and use different technology. HHS has removed earlier language stating that cellphone radiation is safe, reflecting the agency’s ongoing review rather than new evidence. Wireless industry groups say current exposure limits are conservative and supported by research, and they argue that regulatory decisions should rely on scientific evidence rather than speculation. Officials do not expect immediate regulatory changes and have not announced a timeline for the study’s conclusion. The review represents a cautious reassessment of federal guidance that has been in place for decades. SUGGESTED STORIES Certain cancers on the rise in younger adults New data shows that certain cancers are increasing among younger Americans. The National Institutes of Health recently reported while the incidence rates of nine types of cancer rose among all ages, five more increased only among those under the age of 50. The cancers were: Read more Small creature with a big bite — what you need to know Tick bites are causing more people to seek emergency care, including for Lyme disease. Singer Justin Timberlake recently revealed his experience with the tickborne illness, which can be scary and hard to diagnose. Symptoms can take weeks to set Read more Nearly one in four breast cancers diagnosed in women under 50, new study says A new study reveals a concerning rise in breast cancer among women under 50. Between 2014 and 2024, women ages 18 to 49 accounted for roughly 20% to 24% of all breast cancers diagnosed across seven outpatient facilities in New York. While they represented about a qu Read more
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