Exposure to waves: new studies provide more insights into the risk of cancer
No causal link established between radiofrequency waves and cancer
Since the Agency's previous expert appraisals carried out in 2013 for adults and 2016 for children, almost a thousand new studies investigating the issue of cancer and its association with radiofrequency waves have been published, including the results of large-scale epidemiological studies such as MOBI-kids and a series of major toxicological studies by the US National Toxicology Program.
These new studies have found limited evidence that these waves have effects on cellular mechanisms and on animals. However, epidemiological studies have provided no convincing evidence of the development of cancer in humans. The expert appraisal, which considered all this new knowledge along with the previous scientific data, concluded that no causal link could be established between exposure to radiofrequency waves and the development of cancer.
This finding was based on the knowledge available up to May 2025 and does not rule out the possibility of new evidence being provided by future studies.
All the available studies on carcinogenic effects analysed
For its expert appraisal work on radiofrequency waves, ANSES developed a robust, tailored method for assessing the evidence, based on the reference methodological principles established by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It analysed all the epidemiological studies, experimental studies on animals and mechanistic studies (i.e. those seeking biological effects at cellular level). Nearly 250 scientific articles were then selected on the basis of their relevance, the quality of the experimental protocols and the robustness of the data analyses, in order to assess the effect of these waves on cancer.
A public consultation and discussions with stakeholders
The Agency organised a public consultation in 2024 in order to gather contributions from the scientific community and stakeholders before finalising its report. A day of discussions was then held to present the results and the contributions to the public consultation, and to respond to comments and questions. Stakeholders were therefore able to speak directly with the scientists who had carried out the expert appraisal. The report published in November 2025 takes account of these discussions, as well as the requests for details and clarification expressed on these occasions.
Strengthen epidemiological surveillance and knowledge of actual uses
The Agency also issued some research recommendations:
- harmonise experimental protocols, particularly between animal studies and those on biological mechanisms;
- continue to observe the relationship between exposure to radiofrequencies and cancer, using cancer registries in particular;
- continue to monitor and fund large cohorts such as the COSMOS study;
- document and monitor actual uses of wireless technologies over time.
Continue the reassessment work on other health effects
With the increase in the number of publications on radiofrequencies, ANSES is now focusing its expert appraisal work on specific health effects. Several new studies have suggested effects on fertility. The Agency therefore recommends undertaking work to reassess these effects.
Continued vigilance needed in the face of rapid developments in practices and technologies
Today in 2025, 98% of French people aged 12 years and over have a mobile phone, 91% of them a smartphone. Practices are evolving at a fast pace and are changing the population's exposure to radiofrequency waves. For example, traditional voice use is declining and has been replaced by the use of speakers or earpieces, which reduces direct exposure of the head to radiofrequencies. Yet at the same time, there has been massive growth in mobile Internet use (videos, social media, etc.), encouraged by technological developments (4G, 5G) and the increasing density of the network of base stations, leading to a gradual increase in exposure to radiofrequencies in the environment, particularly in urban areas with a higher density of equipment.
These changes call for continued vigilance and regular monitoring of the actual levels of population exposure.
Reasonable use of mobile phones
ANSES reaffirms its recommendations on the rational use of wireless technologies, particularly for children:
- encourage moderate use of mobile phones;
- favour devices that keep the phone away from the body: earpieces, speakers;
- opt for good quality connections, in particular Wi-Fi rather than mobile networks indoors.
These recommendations are consistent with the results of other studies carried out by the Agency on the health effects of using mobile phones and screens, such as the effects of blue light on sleep and the impacts of sedentary behaviour on young people, which are strongly tied to time spent in front of a screen. In early 2026, ANSES will also publish the findings of its expert appraisal on the effects on adolescents of the use of social media.