Firms urged to act over mobile health scare

NEWS Employers must act now to avoid health risks associated with mobile phones, even though they have not conclusively been proved, according to a top law firm. Solicitor's, Russell, Jones & Walker is representing three people who are suing their employers for damaging their health through mobile phone use. Simon Allen, head of occupational diseases at the firm, said: "Employers should consider their position now, although there is no evidence of actual harm yet." But he said the cases depend on conclusive medical evidence: " We have two lawyers over in the States looking at cases which have been brought against phone manufacturers there. But until a definite link between phones and illness is made, we cannot continue with the cases here," he said. Scientist, Roger Coghill, head of Coghill Research, said: "The evidence is there for all to see. I don't see how a legal decision in the US will make any difference to the situation here. A court of law is no place to solve scientific arguments." Coghill recently gave evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee calling on them to remove power from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and create a new research body funded by power generators and mobile phone companies to look at these issues. Coghill also claimed there has been a huge cover-up of the potential health risks. "Mobile phone companies knew there were problems before 1990 because they were patenting technology for low-radiation phones," he alleged. Dr Michael Clarke, a spokesman for the NRPB, said "The risk of serious effect from phones has been overblown and, in some cases, misreported. But the government has asked us to set up a committee to look at this, which we have done." The committee is due to report back to the Select Committee next year.