- RFK Jr. suggests radiation from cell phones and 5G towers may cause cancer and other neurological deficits.
- In response, the HHS is launching an investigation on cell phone radiation and cell towers.
- Cell phones do emit a small amount of radiofrequency radiation. However, it is not the ionizing radiation (found in X-rays) that is strongly associated with health issues.
- The current evidence suggests there is no link between cell phone radiation and an increased risk of cancer or heart problems.
GRABBING YOUR PHONE may feel like second nature since we need and want them for pretty much everything. You might not think much about it. But don’t you worry—RFK Jr. is.
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been pretty vocal about his views on cell phone use. As part of his “Make America Healthy Again” movement, the department said that about two dozen states have limited cell phone use in schools to improve children’s mental and physical health.
That’s great—screen time addiction is a legitimate issue. But this time, the HHS is resurfacing a health hoax that just won’t die. For decades, people have made claims that the radiation from cell phones could be harmful to human health. At one point, a study set off alarm bells of people growing “horns” from excessive phone use (though the abnormal lumps may have to do more with bad posture).
Part of the reason health hoaxes keep going is that there is some truth in them somewhere. With this one, it’s true that cell phones do emit radiation. But is it enough to cause damage to the brain, heart, etc? MH asked doctors to weigh in. They do admit cell phones are a health hazard—but not quite in the way MAHA is pushing.
What’s the Concern Behind Cell Phone Radiation?
EARLIER THIS YEAR, RFK Jr. suggested that radiation from cell phones and 5G towers may be linked to neurological damage and cancer. In a USA Today interview, he claimed there were more than 10,000 studies with proof that electromagnetic radiation contributes to tumor growth, DNA damage, and that it can cross the blood-brain barrier.
To echo his concerns, the US Food and Drug Administration reportedly took down some old pages that said cell phones aren’t dangerous. The HHS is also launching an investigation on cell phone radiation, as directed by President Trump’s MAHA Commission in its strategy report. (Though there have been other studies showing a lack of robust evidence to support a connection.)
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there are two reasons for the concern that mobile phones could cause cancer and other health problems.
One is that cell phones emit radiofrequency radiation, a type of low-energy radiation. This type of radiation is in lots of household devices. Meaning if you’re worried about cell phone radiation, you also need to throw out your TVs, microwave ovens, computers, and Wi-Fi router.
The second health concern is how much time people spend staring at their devices. The NCI says “even a small increase in cancer risk from cell phones would be of concern given how many people use them.”
Can Your Cell Phone Cause Cancer?
THE WORRY OVER potential brain and central nervous system cancers stem from the fact that people use their phones close to their heads. However, the radiation that is most closely linked to head and neck cancers is ionizing radiation—a higher form of radiation than what cell phones emit.
Ionizing radiation is powerful and shown to damage cell DNA, which can increase your risk of cancer, says Herbert Newton, MD, a neuro-oncologist and medical director of the Brain Tumor Center at University Hospitals in Ohio. Ionizing radiation is found in x-ray machines, cosmic particles from outer space, and radioactive elements.
While cell phones do emit a very small dose of radiofrequency radiation over a long period of time, Dr. Newton says there’s no solid proof of cancer resulting from these low doses.
The non-existent link (both echoed by the NCI and CDC) is backed by years of research already poured into this question. In 2024, the World Health Organization funded a large-scale study involving nearly 5,000 participants that found no connection between cell phone use and an increased risk of developing brain cancer. There was no connection even among people who spent a lot of time on their phones, made many calls, or used phones for 10 years or more.
What about cell phone towers? As mentioned earlier, RFK Jr. isn’t a fan. But the researchers that found no connection between cell phones and brain cancer also found that cell towers didn’t put people at a higher risk either.
“That’s the best study we’ve ever done, the most complete study,” explains Dr. Newton. “It’s great news for people that their cell phone isn’t automatically going to give them a brain tumor or head tumor.”
While there’s no proven increased risk of cancer from cell phone use at this point, Dr. Newton says researchers should continue investigating longer windows of mobile phone use and its effects on health.
Can Cell Phone Use Cause Heart Problems?
SHORT ANSWER: NO. The hullabaloo over cell phones and the heart started in 2024 when a study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology suggested that regular cell phone users (who made at least one call a week) had a slightly higher risk of developing heart disease.
Despite the concerning result, the researchers themselves cautioned against overgeneralizing their findings. They also noted that “more conclusive evidence with valid measurements of mobile phone use is needed before this association becomes a concern for the general public.”
Karishama Patwa, MD, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in New York City, takes it a step further. She says any link between cell phone use and cardiovascular disease risk is currently unsupported by data.
“Current evidence does not support any causation between cell phone radiation and cardiovascular disease,” she explains. “Most research thus far has had limitations and inconsistencies.”
How to Lower Your Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation
IF YOU’RE STILL concerned about the small dose emitted by cell phone radiation, Dr. Newton suggests limiting situations where you hold the phone up to your ear. Instead, opt to text or talk on speakerphone. He explains that keeping the phone a few feet away from you could give a much-reduced dose of radiofrequency radiation.
Still, the bigger risk Dr. Newton emphasizes is not radiation but phone addiction and excess screen time. Spending too much time on your devices raises the risk of eye strain and pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. There is also a link between phone use and increased depression and anxiety symptoms. But according to the best research so far, your phone isn’t associated with cancer and heart risks.
Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
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