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Research centre to study the possible health effects of mobile phones and towers

A consortium of research institutions, led by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, will establish a $2.5 million virtual research centre to study the possible health effects of emissions from mobile phones and mobile phone towers.

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6 July 2003

Research centre to study the possible health effects of mobile phones and towers

A consortium of research institutions, led by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, will establish a $2.5 million virtual research centre to study the possible health effects of emissions from mobile phones and mobile phone towers.

The Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced that the National Health and Medical Research Council would fund the consortium from Victoria and South Australia to establish a Centre of Research Excellence in Electromagnetic Energy.

The consortium, led by Professor Irena Cosic from RMIT, will receive $500,000 a year over five years to conduct research on possible health risks and boost research expertise in this area by providing research training and career development programs in EME-related areas.

"Although no one has conclusively established a health risk through the use of mobile phones, we need to broaden and strengthen Australia's research effort in this area," the Minister said.

The consortium led by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Victoria), includes the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (South Australia), Monash University (Victoria), Swinburne University of Technology (Victoria) and Telstra Research Laboratories (Victoria).

Media inquiries: Randal Markey, Media Adviser, Senator Patterson's office, 02 6277 7220.

Further enquiries: Anna Manzoney, NHMRC Communications Manager, 02 6289 9137, 0422 008 512