HANDPHONES (Health risks)

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the use of handphones will pose any health risks to phone users; (b) how are handphones tested to ensure they are safe for use in Singapore; and (c) will boosting handphone stations and antennae pose health risks to residents staying near such facilities.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had issued comprehensive Health and Safety Guidelines on Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on 16th August 2001. These guidelines are based on the latest status of the World Health Organisation (WHO) EMF Project which is the international benchmark for research in this area.

While noting that research is in progress, international scientific committees that have evaluated the current body of evidence, have reached the same conclusion: that there are no established health effects from EMF exposures below these internationally set guideline limits.

In answer to question (b), the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) gives type approval of mobile phones. Part of this type approval includes radiation safety standards and the requirement for manufacturers to provide their Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value for mobile phones. So these radiation safety standards are based on international safety standards.

In answer to question (c), mobile cellular base stations are commonly installed in both indoor and outdoor locations. They function to provide mobile cellular subscribers with the required mobile service coverage. When the mobile operators install more base stations to improve mobile cellular services coverage for their subscribers, this actually reduces the transmitting power by which the mobile phones and base stations operate at. So the bottomline is the more base stations we have, the lower the power, and therefore the safer it is.

Dr Teo Ho Pin: May I ask the Minister: why is the HSA so sure that handphone radiation will not cause cancer when WHO is actually still studying the issue?

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The position is not different from WHO. We are saying that based on current studies, we follow WHO's standards. And WHO's standards say that while they are still studying the long-term effects, it is safe to use the handphone.

Dr Teo Ho Pin: May I ask the Minister on his view on one recent report in the UK. It was reported on 21st September 2001 by Dr Alan Preece, Head of Biophysics at Bristol Oncology Centre, that mobile phones may cause damage to health by speeding up the brain's response times. What is his view on that?

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: I will get the report and ask my officers to study it.