Mobile phone usage has been blamed for causing everything from brain tumours to low sperm counts - now the University of Wollongong has been asked to find out if there is any truth to the claims.
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Federal Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek yesterday announced the establishment of a $2.5 million Australian Centre of Research Excellence for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research at the university.
Professor Rodney Croft, who will head the research team, said extensive international research had not found a definitive link between mobile phones and certain health conditions, but further studies were vital.
‘‘There’s been a lot of research looking at mobile telecommunications over the years, which has failed to find any health effects,’’ he said. ‘‘But it’s such a crucial thing as billions of people are using mobiles today.
‘‘So if there is a problem we really need to know what it is.
‘‘We will address the World Health Organisation research agenda in this area, which covers a whole range of research areas, including mobile phone usage and possible links with conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.’’
Prof Croft, from the UOW’s School of Psychology, said the research would involve epidemiology (the study of patterns in health events), animal and human research.
UOW students yesterday welcomed research into the area.
‘‘You hear a lot of stories about how excessive mobile phone use may be linked with cancer - and you think there’s got to be some truth to it,’’ said commerce and communications student Katie Challita, 20.
‘‘I’ve had a mobile since I started high school, although I mainly use it to text rather than phone people, so hopefully I’m not getting a high level of exposure.’’
Digital media students Jordan Turner and Sury Sulaiman would also like to see further investigation.
‘‘It would be great to have a definitive answer rather than just hearing the rumours and the myths,’’ Mr Turner said.
Mr Sulaiman added: ‘‘You hear that it lowers sperm counts - that’s a bit scary.’’
Prof Croft said the university would work with researchers from RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, as well as international experts.
It was first time the UOW had led a National Health and Medical Research Council centre of excellence, reflecting ‘‘the greatly improved research profile of the university’’, he said.
