In an opinion issued on November 26, 2025, which updates its previous assessments, theNational Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses) synthesizes the available knowledge on the effects of radiofrequency waves related to the risk of cancer. "We focused on radio waves, used by hertzian communications, TV, radio, mobile telephony, connected objects, etc., and not the low frequencies emitted by high-voltage lines," summarizes Olivier Merckel, head of the unit for assessing risks related to physical agents, to AFP.
"98% of those over 12 years old use a mobile phone"
"This is a public health issue: everyone is exposed to it, and at increasingly younger ages, with 981,300 people over the age of 12 using mobile phones with evolving technologies, such as 4G and 5G...", he observes. Anses has reviewed 250 studies, deemed the most robust and relevant, out of a thousand new epidemiological (Mobikids) or toxicological (National Toxicology Program) studies exploring the possibility of a link between cancer and radio waves since its expert assessments on adults (2013) and children (2016).
It appears that this scientific data "lead to not establishing a causal link between exposure to electromagnetic waves and the development of cancers" so far, the health agency summarizes.
These practices are evolving very quickly.
Experimental studies show alterations in cells, but these are transient: "when exposure stops, they manage to repair themselves and return to their initial state," explains scientist Hanane Chanaa, coordinator of the expertise.
And if, in animals too, the "evidence of effects" The effects of mobile phone radiation on cancer "are limited", epidemiological studies in humans, far more numerous than in 2016, "do not provide conclusive evidence regarding the development of cancers," explains Mr. Merckel.
Read alsoANSES is calling for measures against overexposure to mobile phone radiation
"By aggregating all of this data on cellular mechanisms, our conclusion is that it does not establish a cause-and-effect link between exposure to radio waves and cancer," he said. "Although we must not forget the small signals of effects observed in laboratory studies."
ANSES, which organized a public consultation in 2024 – allowing its scientists to respond to requests for clarification from associations and individuals regarding this report – does not, however, rule out that "Future work will bring new elements." That is why, faced with "uses that are evolving very rapidly and can generate other health effects," The agency maintains its recommendations for caution, particularly for children.
"Continuous vigilance and regular monitoring"
“Making phone calls with good reception, using a hands-free kit, a speakerphone… this moves the phone further away from the body, which is enough to greatly reduce exposure.”, lists Mr. Merckel. "We need to adopt a precautionary approach, especially for children, who are highly susceptible, with moderate use of mobile phones."
While speakers and earphones have reduced direct head exposure, exposure from the environment, particularly in cities, has increased with the explosion in the use of social networks, 4G and 5G, the densification of the network of relay antennas… but it remains much lower than the former.
Thus, the health agency is calling for maintenance "Continuous vigilance and regular monitoring" of population exposure, via cancer registries – the law generalizing them still lacks implementing decrees – and a European study is underway (Cosmos). New studies "suggesting effects on fertility or brain function" will need to be examined closely. ANSES will publish an expert report on the effects of social media use among teenagers in January.
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