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However according to a report in Scientific American, Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, last week warned mobile phone users to limit exposure to mobile phone radiation and also alerted parents "to beware of possible effects on their kids' developing brains".

The report says that "although the evidence remains controversial…a number of countries, including France, Germany and India, have already issued such warnings to their citizens".

Herberman also outlined 10 ways to reduce exposure including "reducing mobile phone use, use a hands-free earpiece, switch ears while chatting to limit radiation concentration in one spot, and avoid using mobile phones in public places to limit second-hand radiation".

In particular, he indicates that "kids should only be allowed to use these devices in cases of emergency, as their developing brains are more likely to be susceptible to possible side effects.

He said recent studies indicate that" "living tissue is vulnerable to electromagnetic fields within the frequency bands used by cell phones."

Recently, similar warnings have been issued by Australian scientists, although it seems, locally at least, the potential dangers of mobile phone-based EMR are not taken as seriously as they are in Europe.