Do people understand IARC's 2B categorization of RF fields from cell phones?

In May 2011, the International Agency on Cancer in Research (IARC) issued an official statement concluding that cell phone usage was "possibly carcinogenic to humans." There have been considerable doubts that non-experts and experts alike fully understood what IARC's categorization actually meant, as "possibly carcinogenic" can be interpreted in many ways. The present study is based on an online survey indicating that both the characterization of the probability of carcinogenicity, as well as the description of the risk increase given in the IARC press release, was mostly misunderstood by study participants. Respondents also greatly overestimated the magnitude of the potential risk. Our study results showed that IARC needs to improve their scientific communications.

Scientific basis for the Soviet and Russian radiofrequency standards for the general public.

The former Soviet Union (USSR) and the USA were the first countries to introduce standards limiting exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields. However, the exposure limits in the USSR standards were always much lower than those in the USA and other countries. The objective of this article is to provide a history of the development of the Soviet and Russian RF standards. In addition, we summarize the scientific evidence used to develop the original USSR RF and subsequent Russian public health standards, as well as the mobile telecommunications standard published in 2003, but we do not critique them. We also describe the protective approaches used by the Soviet and Russian scientists for setting their limits. A translation of the papers of the key studies used to develop their standards is available in the online version of this publication.

Concern that "EMF" magnetic fields from power lines cause cancer.

In 2002, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, 2002) categorized extremely low frequency (ELF) (including the power frequencies of 50 and 60 Hz) magnetic fields as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." That was based on pooled analyses of epidemiological research that reported an association between exposure to low-level magnetic fields and childhood leukemia. In 2007 a task group of scientific experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the IARC categorization but found that the laboratory studies and other research results did not support the association. Taking all evidence into account WHO reported that it could not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low-level magnetic fields. There remains continuing concern by some people that exposure to power frequency magnetic fields may cause adverse health effects, particularly childhood leukemia. Public health authorities need to fully understand the reasons for that ongoing concern and effective ways to address it. This paper describes what drives the concern, including how people perceive risks, how WHO and other public health authorities assess scientific research to determine whether health risks exist and the conclusions they have reached about power frequency magnetic fields. This paper also addresses the scientific basis of international exposure guidelines for power frequency magnetic fields and what precautionary measures are warranted to address the concern.

Systematic review of wireless phone use and brain cancer and other head tumors.

We conducted a systematic review of scientific studies to evaluate whether the use of wireless phones is linked to an increased incidence of the brain cancer glioma or other tumors of the head (meningioma, acoustic neuroma, and parotid gland), originating in the areas of the head that most absorb radiofrequency (RF) energy from wireless phones. Epidemiology and in vivo studies were evaluated according to an agreed protocol; quality criteria were used to evaluate the studies for narrative synthesis but not for meta-analyses or pooling of results. The epidemiology study results were heterogeneous, with sparse data on long-term use (≥ 10 years). Meta-analyses of the epidemiology studies showed no statistically significant increase in risk (defined as P < 0.05) for adult brain cancer or other head tumors from wireless phone use. Analyses of the in vivo oncogenicity, tumor promotion, and genotoxicity studies also showed no statistically significant relationship between exposure to RF fields and genotoxic damage to brain cells, or the incidence of brain cancers or other tumors of the head. Assessment of the review results using the Hill criteria did not support a causal relationship between wireless phone use and the incidence of adult cancers in the areas of the head that most absorb RF energy from the use of wireless phones. There are insufficient data to make any determinations about longer-term use (≥ 10 years).

An international project to confirm Soviet-era results on immunological and teratological effects of RF field exposure in Wistar rats and comments on Grigoriev et al. [2010].

Results of key Soviet-era studies dealing with effects on the immune system and teratological consequences in rats exposed to radiofrequency (RF) fields serve, in part, as a basis for setting exposure limits in the USSR and the current RF standards in Russia. The World Health Organization's (WHO) International EMF Project considered these Soviet results important enough that they should be confirmed using more modern methods. Since the Soviet papers did not contain comprehensive details on how the results were obtained, Professor Yuri Grigoriev worked with Dr. Bernard Veyret to agree on the final study protocol and to conduct separate studies in Moscow and Bordeaux under the same protocol. The International Oversight Committee (IOC) provided oversight on the conduct of the studies and was the firewall committee that dealt with the sponsors and researchers. This paper gives the IOC comments and conclusions on the differing results between the two studies.

Long-term health implications of the Chernobyl accident and relevant projects of the World Health Organization.

The past two decades have witnessed dramatic changes in public health governance and international cooperation on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, especially after the end of the Cold War. The World Health Organization (WHO) has committed itself deeply to the public health issues around Chernobyl and has participated in various health projects such as health monitoring and cancer screening. WHO has also been engaged in research activities such as the Chernobyl Tissue Bank, in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. In addition to the official report of the Chernobyl Forum "Health Expert Groups" in 2005, the task of WHO is to not only analyze and clarify the global burden of Chernobyl-related illness, but also to promote the well-being of the local residents who suffered chronic low-level radiation exposure from radiation fallout.

Static fields: biological effects and mechanisms relevant to exposure limits.

Recently, the International EMF Project of the World Health Organization (WHO) published an Environmental Health Criteria monograph on static electric and magnetic fields. In the present paper a short overview is given of the biological and health effects discussed in this document. The main conclusions are that no acute effects other than transient phenomena such as vertigo and nausea have been observed with exposure to static magnetic flux densities up to 8 T. There are no reports of long term or chronic adverse effects following prolonged static magnetic field exposure, but few data are available on which to base any judgment. The guidelines on static field exposure recommended by ICNIRP in 1994 are discussed in the light of current scientific knowledge.

Workgroup report: base stations and wireless networks-radiofrequency (RF) exposures and health consequences.

Radiofrequency (RF) waves have long been used for different types of information exchange via the air waves--wireless Morse code, radio, television, and wireless telephone (i.e., construction and operation of telephones or telephone systems). Increasingly larger numbers of people rely on mobile telephone technology, and health concerns about the associated RF exposure have been raised, particularly because the mobile phone handset operates in close proximity to the human body, and also because large numbers of base station antennas are required to provide widespread availability of service to large populations. The World Health Organization convened an expert workshop to discuss the current state of cellular-telephone health issues, and this article brings together several of the key points that were addressed. The possibility of RF health effects has been investigated in epidemiology studies of cellular telephone users and workers in RF occupations, in experiments with animals exposed to cell-phone RF, and via biophysical consideration of cell-phone RF electric-field intensity and the effect of RF modulation schemes. As summarized here, these separate avenues of scientific investigation provide little support for adverse health effects arising from RF exposure at levels below current international standards. Moreover, radio and television broadcast waves have exposed populations to RF for > 50 years with little evidence of deleterious health consequences. Despite unavoidable uncertainty, current scientific data are consistent with the conclusion that public exposures to permissible RF levels from mobile telephone and base stations are not likely to adversely affect human health.

Albinism in Africa as a public health issue.

BACKGROUND: Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically inherited autosomal recessive condition and OCA2, tyrosine-positive albinism, is the most prevalent type found throughout Africa. Due to the lack of melanin, people with albinism are more susceptible to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure. This population must deal with issues such as photophobia, decreased visual acuity, extreme sun sensitivity and skin cancer. People with albinism also face social discrimination as a result of their difference in appearance. The World Health Organization is currently investigating the issues concerning this vulnerable population. METHODS: Systematic electronic search of articles in PubMed concerning albinism in Africa. Furthermore, a World Health Organization (WHO) pilot survey of albinism was drafted in English, French and Portuguese, and distributed to African countries through WHO African Regional Offices (AFRO) in an attempt to gather further information on albinism. RESULTS: Epidemiologic data on albinism, such as prevalence, were available for South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Nigeria. Prevalences as high as 1 in 1,000 were reported for selected populations in Zimbabwe and other specific ethnic groups in Southern Africa. An overall estimate of albinism prevalences ranges from 1/5,000-1/15,000. In addition, both the literature review and the survey underscored the medical and social issues facing people with albinism. CONCLUSION: The estimated prevalence of albinism suggests the existence of tens of thousands of people living with albinism in Africa. This finding reiterates the need for increased awareness of and public health interventions for albinism in order to better address the medical, psychological and social needs of this vulnerable population.

Cancer consequences of the Chernobyl accident: 20 years on.

26 April 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO), within the UN Chernobyl Forum initiative, convened an Expert Group to evaluate the health impacts of Chernobyl. This paper summarises the findings relating to cancer. A dramatic increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed among those exposed to radioactive iodines in childhood and adolescence in the most contaminated territories. Iodine deficiency may have increased the risk of developing thyroid cancer following exposure to radioactive iodines, while prolonged stable iodine supplementation in the years after exposure may reduce this risk. Although increases in rates of other cancers have been reported, much of these increases appear to be due to other factors, including improvements in registration, reporting and diagnosis. Studies are few, however, and have methodological limitations. Further, because most radiation-related solid cancers continue to occur decades after exposure and because only 20 years have passed since the accident, it is too early to evaluate the full radiological impact of the accident. Apart from the large increase in thyroid cancer incidence in young people, there are at present no clearly demonstrated radiation-related increases in cancer risk. This should not, however, be interpreted to mean that no increase has in fact occurred: based on the experience of other populations exposed to ionising radiation, a small increase in the relative risk of cancer is expected, even at the low to moderate doses received. Although it is expected that epidemiological studies will have difficulty identifying such a risk, it may nevertheless translate into a substantial number of radiation-related cancer cases in the future, given the very large number of individuals exposed.

World Health Organization's International Radon Project.

Following initial in vitro and in vivo studies and important studies of uranium miners, scientists have now completed impressive case-control studies of lung cancer risk from exposure to residential radon. Researchers have pooled these studies, in which all the information from the individual studies was reanalyzed. These pooled analyzes confirm that in the context of residential exposure, radon is now an established risk factor for lung cancer. Many of the initial uncertainties have been reduced, and health risk assessors are now confident that radon may contribute to as much as 10% of the total burden of lung cancer--that is, 2% of all cancers in the population, worldwide. To reduce residential radon lung cancer risk, national authorities must have methods and tools based on solid scientific evidence and sound public health policies. To meet these needs, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated the WHO International Radon Project. This three year project, to be implemented during the period 2005-2008, will include (1) a worldwide database on national residential radon levels, radon action levels, regulations, research institutions, and authorities; (2) public health guidance for awareness-raising and mitigation; and (3) an estimation of the global burden of disease (GDB) associated with radon exposure.

The sensitivity of children to electromagnetic fields.

In today's world, technologic developments bring social and economic benefits to large sections of society; however, the health consequences of these developments can be difficult to predict and manage. With rapid advances in electromagnetic field (EMF) technologies and communications, children are increasingly exposed to EMFs at earlier and earlier ages. Consistent epidemiologic evidence of an association between childhood leukemia and exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields has led to their classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a "possible human carcinogen." Concerns about the potential vulnerability of children to radio frequency (RF) fields have been raised because of the potentially greater susceptibility of their developing nervous systems; in addition, their brain tissue is more conductive, RF penetration is greater relative to head size, and they will have a longer lifetime of exposure than adults. To evaluate information relevant to children's sensitivity to both ELF and RF EMFs and to identify research needs, the World Health Organization held an expert workshop in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 2004. This article is based on discussions from the workshop and provides background information on the development of the embryo, fetus, and child, with particular attention to the developing brain; an outline of childhood susceptibility to environmental toxicants and childhood diseases implicated in EMF studies; and a review of childhood exposure to EMFs. It also includes an assessment of the potential susceptibility of children to EMFs and concludes with a recommendation for additional research and the development of precautionary policies in the face of scientific uncertainty.

Biological effects of radiofrequency fields: does modulation matter?

This commentary considers modulation as a factor of potential biological importance in assessment of risk of radiofrequency (RF) energy emitted by communications systems and other technologies. Modulation introduces a spread of frequencies into a carrier waveform, but in nearly all cases this spread is small compared to the frequency of the carrier. Consequently, any nonthermal (field-dependent) biological effects related to modulation must result from interaction mechanisms that are fast enough to produce a response at radiofrequencies. Despite considerable speculation, no such mechanisms have been established. While a variety of modulation-dependent biological effects of RF energy have been reported, few such effects have been independently confirmed. Some widely discussed effects, for example a reported modulation-dependent effect of RF fields on the efflux of calcium from brain tissue, remain controversial with no established biological significance. The lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying such effects prevents any assessment of their significance for communications signals with complex modulation characteristics. Future research should be directed at confirmation and mechanistic understanding of reported biological effects related to modulation. While modulation should be considered in the design of risk studies involving communications-type signals, it should not compromise other aspects of good study design, such as maintaining adequate statistical power and identifying dose-response relationships.

Health risks of electromagnetic fields. Part III: Risk analysis.

The management of potential health risks from electromagnetic (EM) fields presents both scientific and nonscientific challenges. When the scientific evidence is ambiguous, as is the case with EM fields, expert judgment of this evidence becomes particularly important. This article provides biomedical researchers with a comprehensive assessment of the status of EM health risk based on our two previous articles [Parts I and II, Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering, Volume 31, Issue 3]. Ambiguous evidence also necessitates rigorous public debate. This article also discusses effective risk communication approaches that play a key role in the EM risk issue. Because of uncertainty about health risks associated with EMF exposure, the public is more likely to experience difficulty in evaluating the available information and rely more on perceptions than facts when drawing conclusions. Even the most effective risk communication approaches are not likely to clarify all of the subtleties surrounding EM fields as a population health issue. Thus it is essential that all stakeholders involved in this issue participate in developing consensus solutions.