Contracting brain cancer from using cell phones should not be a concern for Bermuda's 19,000-plus users according to studies released this week.

Two research studies -- one by the National Cancer Institute and the other published by the Journal of the American Medical Association -- showed that people who used cell phones for longer periods were not more likely to get the disease -- and brain tumours were not more likely to occur on the same side of the head the phone was held to.

The study also went so far as to note that people who already had brain tumours were no more likely to be affected by cell phone use.

Hiram Edwards, Government Assistant Telecommunications Inspector, said he was aware of the information, but said the research would be studied by a committee already set up in Bermuda to look at cell phone safety.

"If there is a concern, we will look at the concerns,'' he said. "They are looking at the issue of personal cell phone use and the education aspect to that fact.'' But he said the committee had come to no firm conclusions so far and advised the public to minimise cell phone use and to keep the antennae away from the head by extending them fully when phoning.

"Studies have indicated that these are simple procedures that should be followed,'' he said. "You can't say that they (cell phones) won't cause problems, but there is no evidence to say that it will.'' The debate about cell phone use linked to brain cancer has been on going for several years now, however international experts felt the need to revisit the issue when rumours had resurfaced in recent months.

Although cell phone use has been in effect a little over 20 years, researchers said during the height of cell phone popularity this past decade, there have been no significant increases in brain cancer or mortality.

And doctors said that evidence is reassuring.

However, other experts pointed out that cancer could take years to develop and it might be worthwhile to repeat the studies in years to come.

But Mr. Edwards said he was unswayed by the fears of the link of brain cancer to cell phones and pointed out that before the study was released, the Ministry of Telecommunications made assurances that all cell phones that entered the Island adhered to proper guidelines.

"We licence the phones that come into the Island,'' he explained. "We make sure that they are the type approved and fall under the guidelines of the Federal Communications Commission.

"All these phones come with safety information and we make it a point to keep in touch with any new information that becomes known.'' The FCC has set standards set for the maximum amount of microwave, or radio frequency radiation that cell phones can emit and they agree with the "expert organisations conclusion that typical RF exposures from these devices are safe.''