And so the debate about cell phones and cancer is on again with the Daily Telegraph in Britain reporting that a 10 year investigation overseen by the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to publish evidence that heavy users face a higher risk of developing brain tumors later in life.

This is no small study. It was conducted in 13 countries and some 2800 people were interviewed between 2000 and 2004.

The newspaper reported that six of eight Interphone studies had discovered a rise in the risk of suffering a glioma (the most common brain tumour). One found an increase of 39% increase. The final paper is expected to be published before the end of 2009.

Cell phone champions, and no doubt the industry, will jump on the findings applying to heavy users only. As this blogger says, cancer only comes after repeated heavy use of the cell phone and that's only after 10 years. And no doubt, people will say the findings are generally inconclusive.

Which is very similar to what was said about tobacco, asbestos and thalidomide.