Fears for kids spark Disney cellphone ban

By STAFF REPORTERS

Walt Disney characters have been banned from cellphones because of fears the phones may cause epilepsy and other brain problems in children.

The Walt Disney Company has been licensing manufacturers to produce cellphone covers and faceplates featuring characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

But it decided to stop the licensing after publication of a review article in the Lancet medical journal which raises the possibility of seizures and immune-system impairment in children exposed to certain frequencies of low-intensity microwave radiation used by cellphones.

A Walt Disney spokeswoman said the company was examining the scientific evidence on the safety of cellphones. But it pointed to the United States Food and Drug Administration's "statements that there is no conclusive evidence that they present a health risk."

"However, because the wellbeing of our customers is our first priority, we have decided to discontinue the licensing of our characters for use on cellular telephones until there is reliable scientific evidence establishing the absence of any such risk."

The New Zealand branch manager, Mary Hamer, said the company did not want to be associated with products that might jeopardise health.

Disney cellphone covers had been sold in New Zealand, she said, but no one was licensed to import them.

The Lancet article, by theoretical biophysicist Dr Gerald Hyland, of Warwick University in Britain, also highlights reports of memory loss, sleep disruption and headaches.

The British Government is finalising a leaflet to warn mobile phone buyers about uncertainty over the phones' potential health risks. It will specifically warn that children should not spend too long using cellphones.

The NZ Government is still considering whether to require a warning. Ministry of Health spokesman Martin Gledhill, asked for advice on children's use, said: "We've seen this as something for informed choice by parents."

He also said the Hyland article lacked balance, selectively quoting from research on microwave radiation, and was speculative.

Another review article in the Lancet, from the opposite viewpoint, argues that it is too early to reach a verdict on cellphone safety - apart from the many road accidents they cause.

Green Party health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley latched onto the Hyland article, calling for health warnings on cellphones and education campaigns on the potential risks.

"You see so many kids wandering around with them. They're like a designer accessory for modern high-income teenagers," she said.