Effects of X-rays, Water Bottle Plastics and Cell Phones in The Cause of Cancer as Illustrated in a Bioethics Study

Bioethics is the study of ethical problems arising from biological research.. Many people have commented on such subject of how X-rays, plastic from water bottles, and cell phones can cause cancers. This is a very recent project that scientists are working on at the moment. They have many theories on these three subjects.

Cell phones are one of the biggest studies in present day. The people being warned especially are pregnant woman and children. (Conger) Cell phones are believed to give off radiofrequency (RF). Researchers suggest that cell phones give off too little RF to cause an increase in body temperature. Researchers are checking tumors on the brain, neck, or any other common place that cell phones are held. (Cell Phones and Cancer Risks). Some companies are starting to put safety-warnings printed on cell phones just like alcohol or cigarettes. There’s a debate against people who think cell phone use is a safety risk and the Maine legislation who disagree and think there isn’t enough evidence to prove this. “’I think my short answer is that the evidence isn’t 100 percent, but there’s a strong indication that, yes, cell phone use does cause cancer (over a long period of time),’ Said David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and Environment at the University of Albany, and an advocate for the Maine bill on cell phone warnings.” (Conger)

One of the biggest threats that lead to cancer are X-rays. Similar to cell phones, X-rays give of RF, but a lot more than cell phones. This is the reason they ask you if you’re pregnant and put a lead apron on you when they take any kind of X-rays. The led apron helps to protect your internal organs. The staff of the X- rays also make sure to stay behind a curtain so they don’t get over exposed to the X-ray radiation. “The association between cancer and radiation is a well-documented one and has led to fear and anxiety among patients who are supposed to receive diagnostic radiology studies.” (Wagner) The decrease in the circulation of white blood cells and platelets could take place as a result to X-Ray exposure. Cancer could be caused by damage to the DNA which also happens even without radiation. (Wagner) A person who has actually died due to cancer from radiation from an X-Ray is Rosalind Franklin, only 37 years old. She tried to make X-ray diffraction perfect, which led to over exposure of X-ray. She died of cancer in 1958 (Who was Rosalind Franklin?)

The water bottles that many people drink out of can cause cancer because of a chemical in the bottle top. The chemical BPA (Bisphenol A) which is produced in large quantities, is something that, again, has a larger effect on pregnant woman and small children. This is because even if you take a small amount of BPA into your system, a smaller body has a larger effect. Some food or drink packaging can have BPA that come leach onto the food. One important contributor to this is the temperature of the packaging. (Lanford) There are five catagories that The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) can rank the risk of this theory; serious concern, concern, some concern, minimal concern, negligible concern. (Lanford) They only found come concern, minimal concern and negligible concern, meaning nothing serious as of now. “The FDA has also made a statement and says that the ‘... FDA sees no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict the uses now authorized.’” (Lanford) The FDA has run some tests also and have discovered a chemical polyethylene terephthalate (PET), but the FDA says it’s well in safety limits. (Emery) But NIEHS and FSA aren’t the only groups looking for answers. One other group is the Environmental Working Group (EWG). They argue that, yes, BPA does cause breast and prostate cancer. They also say it’s the cause for multiple diseases that are at rise. (Lanford) “According to Dr. Rolf Halden of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, consumers face a much greater risk from potential exposure to microbial contaminants in bottled water — germs, to you and me — than from chemical ones.” (Emery)

My opinion on these three theories is that none of them can be extremely dangerous unless you don’t follow safety precautions. I think the most dangerous one of all three of these theories is the X-ray. It gives off so much radiation and if you aren’t properly protected, consequences can be extreme. The water bottle situation worries me also. I have been drinking less from water bottles now that I know these facts about it.