"Reasonable doubt" on GSM safety, say French authorities

After the publication of a book entitled Votre GSM, votre santé: on vous ment (Your GSM, your health: You're being lied to), the French agency responsible for protecting public health, known as Afsse, has revealed that it still stands by the theory of "reasonable doubt" on the possible risks posed by mobile phones, despite what is says the absence of any evidence that mobiles are bad for you.

Earlier comments from French scientists, who said there is no proven health risk associated with using a mobile, seemed to come in many shades of grey for consumers - leading the Afsse, which published a somewhat reassuring report into the issue in 2003, to clarify the issue. The Afsse report came hot on the heels of a media campaign led by the Your GSM, your health: You're being lied to authors about the impact of mobile telephones and masts on health.

"It's advisable… to clarify that the confirmation from which the three report by French experts… concluded that there was no risk to health from using a mobile phone doesn't actually conform to the reality," the agency said in a memo. "In these reports, the hypothesis of 'reasonable doubt' is upheld."

The Afsse's words have been applauded by the book's authors, four scientists - a doctor of sciences, a doctor of pharmacy, a physicist and a psychologist - who are all overtly sceptical about the innocuousness of radio waves on health. "We are happy to note that Afsse's representatives recognise using a mobile phone does present a risk. Now, therefore, it's up to the government to openly face up to their responsibilities in this area," they said in a statement.

On the issue of evidence, however, the Afsse and the book's authors disagree. The agency still says that apart from the "reasonable doubt", there is no scientific argument proving the existence of real dangers. Currently, the only known risk would be "traffic accidents, where there has been a lack of vigilance by the drivers or pedestrians involved".

Au contraire, say the authors, in the book's cover blurb: "The epidemiologic studies which have been undertaken in various countries around the the world clearly reveal the etiology [study of the causes of the diseases] of many illnesses experienced by mobile phone users and those who live near masts (insomnia, cardiac disturbances, hypertension, cephalgias...), as well as the possible existence of a link between their exposure and higher death rates from neurodegeneratives diseases, certain types of cancer...".

While the wait for a scientific consensus goes on, Afsse and the authors of the book both recommend taking a cautious stance on the issue: "Careful use of a mobile phone, with a handsfree kit… in order to reduce mobile phone users' level of exposure" is essential, Afsse concludes.

Christophe Guillemin writes for ZDNet France