Global Indoor Health Network
EMF and RF
EMF and RF
The use of EMF and RF devices is growing exponentially. These devices transmit wirelessly using Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) and Radio Frequencies (RF). They are NOT safe and are harmful to adults and children.
Federal regulations protect the public only from the thermal (i.e., heating) risk due to short-term exposure to high intensity, cell tower radiation. The Federal regulations ignore the thousands of studies that find harmful bio-effects from long-term exposure to non-thermal levels of radiation.
Source: Dr. Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D. Detailed list of more than 900 scientific research papers on radiofrequency and electromagnetic radiation. Click here .
Go to the links in this sentence, to read additional details about the dangers of Cell Phones , Cell Towers , Smart Meters and WiFi Devices .
Clinical Practice Guidelines for EHS -- Proceedings from a Symposium on the Impacts of Wireless Technology on Health. Published October 2020.
This report includes presentations from a 2019 symposium by several leading doctors and researchers in this field. The report was published in October 2020.
It includes detailed information about clinical practice guidelines for treating patients with EHS (electrohypersensitivity, how to diagnose EHS and steps that can be taken to reduce your exposure to EMF and RF radiation.
Source: Clinical Practice Guidelines for EHS -- Proceedings from a Symposium on the Impacts of Wireless Technology on Health. October 2020. To read the report, click here.
Planetary Electromagnetic Pollution: It is Time to Assess its Impact. Published December 1, 2018.
As the Planetary Health Alliance moves forward after a productive second annual meeting, a discussion on the rapid global proliferation of artificial electromagnetic fields would now be apt. The most notable is the blanket of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, largely microwave radiation generated for wireless communication and surveillance technologies, as mounting scientific evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation has serious biological and health effects.
However, public exposure regulations in most countries continue to be based on the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which were established in the 1990s on the belief that only acute thermal effects are hazardous.
Prevention of tissue heating by radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation is now proven to be ineffective in preventing biochemical and physiological interference.
For example, acute non-thermal exposure has been shown to alter human brain metabolism by NIH scientists, electrical activity in the brain, and systemic immune responses.
Chronic exposure has been associated with increased oxidative stress and DNA damage and cancer risk. Laboratory studies, including large rodent studies by the US National Toxicology Program and Ramazzini Institute of Italy, confirm these biological and health effects in vivo.
Source: Planetary Electromagnetic Pollution: It is time to Assess its Impact. December 1, 2018. To read the paper, click here.
Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields Causes Increased Risk of Miscarriage. Published December 13, 2017.
Pregnant women exposed to high radiation levels from sources like cell phones, wireless devices and cell towers miscarried at nearly three times the rate as those exposed to low levels, according to new research.
“I hope this study makes us rethink the notion that magnetic field non-ionizing radiation exposure is safe or has no health risk,” said lead author Dr. De-Kun Li, a senior research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California. “This is certainly something we can’t just ignore.”
Cell phones, cordless phones and other wireless devices, appliances, power lines, smart-meter networks and cell towers generate non-ionizing radiation from magnetic fields. Writing in Scientific Reports, Li and his team call rapidly proliferating electromagnetic field emissions “a ubiquitous environmental exposure and a serious looming public health challenge.”
She advises children and adults, especially pregnant women, to decrease exposure to electromagnetic radiation by keeping cell phones and other wireless devices away from their bodies.
“If someone is really concerned, distance is their friend,” Li said. “Keep away from the source. You don’t have to stand right next to the microwave. There’s nothing to watch anyway.”
International EMF Scientist Appeal to the United Nations, World Health Organization and UN Member States
The International EMF Scientist Appeal has been signed by 190 scientists from 39 nations. These scientists have collectively published over 2,000 peer-reviewed papers on the biological or health effects of non-thermal radiation and are calling upon the United Nations, World Health Organization, and UN member states to:
1. Address the emerging public health crisis related to wireless devices, wireless utility meters [smart meters] and wireless infrastructure.
2. Urge that UN Environmental Program initiate an assessment of current exposure standards [in order] to substantially lower human exposures to non-thermal radiation.
3. Take a planetary view of potential for harm that EMF pollution presents to biology—the evolution, health, well-being and very survival of all living organisms worldwide.
Source: April 20, 2016 article titled "Smart Meter Dangers, Who Knew and Did Not Sound the Alarm?" Click here.
Comments from Dr. William Rea, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon, Environmental Medicine
Dr. William Rea shares insights about electrical hypersensitivity gleaned from nearly thirty years of working with environmentally ill patients.
Rea opened by saying that human beings are all antennas with different levels of sensitivity.
He has observed a high correlation with sensitivity to metals like zinc, copper, stainless steel, titanium, molybdenum, manganese, and magnesium. Metal implants like dental fillings, metal jaws, shoulder joints, etc. will contribute to electrical sensitivity, because they act as antennas.
Source: WEEP News article, January 31, 2012. Click here.
Report by the Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe. The Potential Dangers of Electromagnetic Fields and Their Effect on the Environment. May 2011.
Excerpts from the report:
5. As regards standards or threshold values for emissions of electromagnetic fields of all types and frequencies, the Assembly strongly recommends that the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle is applied, covering both the so-called thermal effects and the athermic or biological effects of electromagnetic emissions or radiation. Moreover, the precautionary principle should be applied when scientific evaluation does not allow the risk to be determined with sufficient certainty. Given the context of growing exposure of the population, in particular that of vulnerable groups such as young people and children, there could be extremely high human and economic costs if early warnings are neglected.
6. The Assembly regrets that, despite calls for the respect of the precautionary principle and despite all the recommendations, declarations and a number of statutory and legislative advances, there is still a lack of reaction to known or emerging environmental and health risks and virtually systematic delays in adopting and implementing effective preventive measures. Waiting for high levels of scientific and clinical proof before taking action to prevent well-known risks can lead to very high health and economic costs, as was the case with asbestos, leaded petrol and tobacco.
In light of the above considerations, the Assembly recommends that the member states of the Council of Europe:
8.1. in general terms:
8.1.1. take all reasonable measures to reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields, especially to radio frequencies from mobile phones, and particularly the exposure to children and young people who seem to be most at risk from head tumours;
8.1.2. reconsider the scientific basis for the present standards on exposure to electromagnetic fields set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection, which have serious limitations, and apply ALARA principles, covering both thermal effects and the athermic or biological effects of electromagnetic emissions or radiation;
8.1.3. put in place information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of potentially harmful long-term biological effects on the environment and on human health, especially targeting children, teenagers and young people of reproductive age;
8.1.4. pay particular attention to “electrosensitive” people who suffer from a syndrome of intolerance to electromagnetic fields and introduce special measures to protect them, including the creation of wave-free areas not covered by the wireless network;
8.1.5. in order to reduce costs, save energy, and protect the environment and human health, step up research on new types of antenna, mobile phone and DECT-type device, and encourage research to develop telecommunication based on other technologies which are just as efficient but whose effects are less negative on the environment and health;
8.2. concerning the private use of mobile phones, DECT wireless phones, WiFi, WLAN and WIMAX for computers and other wireless devices such as baby monitors:
8.2.1. set preventive thresholds for levels of long-term exposure to microwaves in all indoor areas, in accordance with the precautionary principle, not exceeding 0.6 volts per metre, and in the medium term to reduce it to 0.2 volts per metre;
8.2.2. undertake appropriate risk-assessment procedures for all new types of device prior to licensing;
8.2.3. introduce clear labelling indicating the presence of microwaves or electromagnetic fields, the transmitting power or the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the device and any health risks connected with its use;
8.2.4. raise awareness on potential health risks of DECT wireless telephones, baby monitors and other domestic appliances which emit continuous pulse waves, if all electrical equipment is left permanently on standby, and recommend the use of wired, fixed telephones at home or, failing that, models which do not permanently emit pulse waves;
8.3. concerning the protection of children:
8.3.1. develop within different ministries (education, environment and health) targeted information campaigns aimed at teachers, parents and children to alert them to the specific risks of early, ill-considered and prolonged use of mobiles and other devices emitting microwaves;
8.3.2. for children in general, and particularly in schools and classrooms, give preference to wired Internet connections, and strictly regulate the use of mobile phones by schoolchildren on school premises.
Source: Report by the Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe. The Potential Dangers of Electromagnetic Fields and Their Effect on the Environment. May 2011. Click here.
Comments from Military Experts
Barrier Trower, a retired British Secret Service Microwave Weapons specialist, states:
“The paradox is how Radio Frequency/microwave radiation can be used as a weapon to cause impairment, illness and death; and at the same time be used as a communications instrument [such as in smart meters].”
Trower continues, “By 1971, we knew everything that needed to be known.”
(See the next column for excerpts from the 1971 report by the Naval Medical Research Institute--NMRI)
“A 1976 document summarizing U.S. Defense Intelligence research lists all of the health hazards caused by wireless devices and concludes: This should be kept secret to preserve industrial profit.”
Jerry Flynn, is a retired Canadian Armed Forces captain with specialized training and 22 years of experience in Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence. Flynn has worked with U.S. and NATO armies in this specialized capacity. He writes:
“The U.S. military has known for decades that the RF/microwave frequencies most harmful to man are those within the band 900 MHz to 5 GHz. These frequencies penetrate all organs of the body, thus putting all human organ systems at risk. Smart meters emit these precise frequencies which, when combined with certain pulsed modulation characteristics and power densities, are most harmful to the brain, central nervous system, immune system, and can cause cancers. This is precisely why these frequencies are used in Microwave weapons of war.”
Source: April 20, 2016 article titled "Smart Meter Dangers, Who Knew and Did Not Sound the Alarm?" Click here.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)
Exposure to electromagnetic fields has been increasing in recent years, following the expansion of technologies. In addition to health problems, this can result in limited access to many public or private facilities (libraries, hospitals or even public transport), especially in buildings where devices have been installed for transmitting wireless technology. These people may sometimes suffer the incomprehension and skepticism of doctors who do not deal with this syndrome professionally and therefore fail to offer proper diagnosis and treatment. This is without considering all those other people who might be unaware of the possible reasons for their current health problems.
The EU should assist currently affected groups and limit exposure fields in light of the recommendations set out in this opinion, especially with respect to recognising this exposure as a cause of functional disability and environmental illness. Steps should also be taken to prevent the number of sufferers from gradually increasing in the future due to the expansion of devices using these technologies.
The possible symptoms (of electromagnetic hypersensitivity) include headaches, chronic fatigue, recurring infections, difficulties concentrating, memory loss, inexplicable unhappiness, dermatological symptoms, irritability or sleeplessness, heart problems, poor blood circulation, disorientation, nasal congestion, reduced libido, thyroid disorders, eye discomfort, tinnitus, increased need to urinate, listlessness, capillary fragility, cold hands and feet, and stiff muscles. These may occur or get worse in the vicinity of electrical appliances, transformers, mobile phone antennas and other sources of radiation.
Source: Report from the European Economic and Social Committee, Opinion of the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and Information Society on Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity. January 13, 2015. Click here.
Metabolic and Genetic Screening of Electromagnetic Hypersensitive Subjects as a Feasible Tool for Diagnostics and Intervention. 2014.
Growing numbers of “electromagnetic hypersensitive” (EHS) people worldwide self-report severely disabling, multiorgan, non-specific symptoms when exposed to low-dose electromagnetic radiations, often associated with symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and/or other environmental “sensitivity-related illnesses” (SRI). This cluster of chronic inflammatory disorders still lacks validated pathogenetic mechanism, diagnostic biomarkers, and management guidelines. We hypothesized that SRI, not being merely psychogenic, may share organic determinants of impaired detoxification of common physic-chemical stressors. Based on our previous MCS studies, we tested a panel of 12 metabolic blood redox-related parameters and of selected drug-metabolizing-enzyme gene polymorphisms, on 153 EHS, 147 MCS, and 132 control Italians, confirming MCS altered –0.0001) glutathione-(GSH), GSH-peroxidase/S-transferase, and catalase erythrocyte activities. We first described comparable—though milder—metabolic pro-oxidant/proinflammatory alterations in EHS with distinctively increased plasma coenzyme-Q10 oxidation ratio. Severe depletion of erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids with increased ω6/ω3 ratio was confirmed in MCS, but not in EHS. We also identified significantly altered distribution-versus-control of the CYP2C19*1/*2 SNP variants in EHS, and a 9.7-fold increased risk (OR: 95% C.–74.5) of developing EHS for the haplotype (null)GSTT1 + (null)GSTM1 variants. Altogether, results on MCS and EHS strengthen our proposal to adopt this blood metabolic/genetic biomarkers’ panel as suitable diagnostic tool for SRI.
Source: Metabolic and Genetic Screening of Electromagnetic Hypersensitive Subjects as a Feasible Tool for Diagnostics and Intervention. 2014. Click here.
Other Resources
There are thousands of research papers on this topic. Here are a few additional resources:
BioInitiative Working Group. 2012. BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standards for Electromagnetic Radiation. Click
here. To see the Table of Contents, click
here.
The range of possible health effects that are adverse with chronic exposures has broadened. The most serious health endpoints that have been reported to be associated with extremely low frequency (ELF) and/or radio frequency radiation (RFR) include childhood and adult leukemia, childhood and adult brain tumors, and increased risk of Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In addition, there are reports of increased risk of breast cancer in both men and women, genotoxic effects, pathological leakage of the blood–brain barrier, altered immune function including increased allergic and inflammatory responses, miscarriage, and some cardiovascular effects. Insomnia is reported in studies of people living in very low-intensity RFR environments with Wi-Fi and cell tower-level exposures. Short-term effects on cognition, memory and learning, behavior, reaction time, attention and concentration, and altered brainwave activity (altered EEG) are also reported in the scientific literature.
Worthington, Amy. 2007. The Radiation Poisoning of America. Centre for Research on Globalization. Click here.
Dr. Robert Becker, noted for decades of research on the effects of electromagnetic radiation, has warned: "Even if we survive the chemical and atomic threats to our existence, there is the strong possibility that increasing electropollution could set in motion irreversible changes leading to our extinction before we are even aware of them. All life pulsates in time to the earth and our artificial fields cause abnormal reactions in all organisms.
Milham S, Morgan LL. 2008. A New Electromagnetic Exposure Metric: High Frequency Voltage Transients Associated With Increased Cancer Incidence in Teachers in a California School. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 51:579–586. Click here.
A cohort cancer incidence analysis of the teacher population showed a positive trend of increasing cancer risk with increasing cumulative exposure to high frequency voltage transients on the classroom’s electrical wiring measured with a Graham/Stetzer (G/S) meter. The attributable risk of cancer associated with this exposure was 64%. A single year of employment at this school increased a teacher’s cancer risk by 21%.
Wiart J, Hadjem A, Wong MF, Bloch I. 2008. Analysis of RF exposure in the head tissues of children and adults. Physics in Medicine and Biology 53:3681–3695. Click here.
Hardell L, Sage C. 2008. Biological effects from electromagnetic field exposure and public exposure standards. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 62:104-109. Click here.
EMF and RF radiation is harmful to all living organisms--humans, pets and plants.
The Mystery of the Immaculate Concussion (microwave radiation used as a weapon against U.S. citizens and government employees)
He was a senior CIA official tasked with getting tough on Russia. Then, one night in Moscow, Marc Polymeropoulos's life changed forever. He says he was hit with a mysterious weapon, joining dozens of American diplomats and spies who believe they’ve been targeted with this secret device all over the world—and even at home, on U.S. soil. Now, as a CIA investigation points the blame at Russia, the victims are left wondering why so little is being done.
Marc Polymeropoulos awoke with a start. The feeling of nausea was overwhelming. Food poisoning, he thought, and decided to head for the bathroom. But when he tried to get out of bed, he fell over. He tried to stand up and fell again. It was the early morning hours of December 5, 2017, and his Moscow hotel room was spinning around him. His ears were ringing. He felt, he recalled, “like I was going to both throw up and pass out at the same time.”
Polymeropoulos was a covert CIA operative, a jovial, burly man who likes to refer to himself as “grizzled.” Moscow was not the first time he had been on enemy territory. He had spent most of his career in the Middle East, fighting America’s long war on terrorism. He had hunted terrorists in Pakistan and Yemen. He did the same in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had been shot at, ducked under rocket fire, and had shrapnel whiz by uncomfortably close to his head. But that night, paralyzed with seasickness in the landlocked Russian capital, Polymeropoulos felt terrified and utterly helpless for the first time.
In late 2016, some two dozen Americans stationed in the revived embassy in Cuba began reporting strange new phenomena. Some heard a strange noise—sometimes high-pitched, sometimes low—and felt a sudden pressure in the skull. Others heard nothing at all, but many of them developed vertigo and nausea, and had trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, persistent headaches, and changes in vision and hearing. Like Polymeropoulos’s constellation of symptoms, some of these effects waxed and waned at seemingly random intervals, while others seemed impossible to cure—all to maddening effect.
In the meantime, according to several sources on Capitol Hill and at the CIA, the National Academy of Sciences has completed a report, commissioned by the State Department, assessing the potential causes of the Havana Syndrome. The report, now under review at State, apparently reached many of the same conclusions that Smith and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania did. David Relman, a Stanford immunologist and microbiologist who chaired the Academy’s committee on investigating the Havana Syndrome, told me that he is deeply frustrated that their report still has not been made public. He says it “describes distinct clinical findings and plausible mechanisms” responsible for the injuries, and that the “American people, and their elected representatives, deserve to read what we have found.”
Smith’s ongoing research has offered new insights into the Havana Syndrome—if little encouraging news for those suffering from it. In 2019, Smith and his team published a follow-up study that used advanced neuroimaging and brain-connectivity studies to look at the brains of diplomats hit in Havana. This technique showed what less sophisticated imaging had missed. The patients’ brain connectivity was severely affected, especially in the cerebellum and brain networks that control auditory and visuospatial functions. Their volumes of white matter—the inner, deeper part of the brain—were significantly reduced. White matter is made up of axons, the delicate wiring of the central nervous system. According to Smith, it was the axons and their carefully arranged structure that were damaged in people suffering from the syndrome. “If the axons break, that’s it,” he told me. “They won’t reconnect. And you’re not going to grow new axons. You only have the ones you’re born with.” The brain can learn to make up for and work around some of the damage, Smith says, but that takes time and the compensatory mechanisms are often far from perfect.
To read the October 20, 2020, article, click here.
To read the February 24, 2021, follow-up article that says the CIA is going to investigate, click here.
GIHN note: Keep in mind that cell towers and cell phones can be used to target specific individuals or locations with microwave radiation.
Functional Brain MRI in Patients Complaining of Electrohypersensitivity after Long Term Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields. September 26, 2017.
Excerpts from the abstract:
Introduction: Ten adult patients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans. All scans were abnormal with abnormalities which were consistent and similar. It is proposed that fMRI brain scans be used as a diagnostic aid for determining whether or not a patient has electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Over the years we have seen an increasing number of patients who had developed multi system complaints after long term repeated exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These complaints included headaches, intermittent cognitive and memory problems, intermittent disorientation, and also sensitivity to EMF exposure. Regular laboratory tests were within normal limits in these patients. The patients refused to be exposed to radioactivity. This of course ruled out positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scanning. This is why we ordered fMRI brain scans on these patients. We hoped that we could document objective abnormalities in these patients who had often been labeled as psychiatric cases.
Results: All ten patients had abnormal functional MRI brain scans. The abnormality was often described as hyper connectivity of the anterior component of the default mode in the medial orbitofrontal area. Other abnormalities were usually found. Regular MRI studies of the brain were mostly unremarkable in these patients.
Conclusion: We propose that functional MRI studies should become a diagnostic aid when evaluating a patient who claims electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and has otherwise normal studies. Interestingly, the differential diagnosis for the abnormalities seen on the fMRI includes head injury. It turns out that many of our patients indeed had a history of head injury which was then followed sometime later by the development of EHS. Many of our patients also had a history of exposure to potentially neurotoxic chemicals, especially mold. Head injury and neurotoxic chemical exposure may make a patient more vulnerable to develop EHS.
Source:
Functional Brain MRI in Patients Complaining of Electrohypersensitivity after Long Term Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields. September 26, 2017.
To read the abstract, click here.
Health Effects of Radiofrequency Radiation in a report from the Naval Medical Research Institute (NRMI), October 4, 1971
In a 1971 report by the Naval Medical Research Institute (NRMI) titled:
Biography of Reported Biological Phenomena (Effects) and Clinics Manifestations Attributed to Microwave and Radiofrequency Radiation
This report lists numerous health effects caused by radiofrequency (RF) radiation and includes references to more than 2,300 published research papers on the biological responses to radiofrequency and microwave radiation. Here is a partial list:
- Heating of organs (skin, bone, genitalia, brain, sinuses, metal implants)
- Changes in physiologic function (muscle contraction, alteration of diameter of blood vessels, changes in oxidative processes, liver enlargement, decreased sperm, altered menstrual activity and fetal development, decreased lactation, increased electrical resistance of skin, altered blood flow rate, EKG changes, sensitivity to light, sound and olfactory stimuli, changes in the eyes, necrosis, hemorrhage in lungs, liver, gut and brain, degeneration of body tissue, loss of anatomical parts, dehydration, death)
- Central nervous system (headaches, insomnia, restlessness, EEG changes, cranial nerve disorders, vagomimetic action of the heart, seizures, convulsions)
- Autonomic nervous system (fatigue, neuro-vegetative disorders, structural alterations in the synapses of the vagus nerve, inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system)
- Peripheral nervous system (effects on locomotor nerves)
- Psychological disorders (depression, impotence, anxiety, lack of concentration, dizziness, insomnia, loss of memory, chest pain, tremor of the hands)
- Behavioral changes (reflexive, operant, avoidance and discrimination behaviors)
- Blood disorders (changes in blood, bone marrow, hemolysis, sedimentation rate, blood glucose concentration, cholesterol and lipids, number of eosinophils, albumin/globulin ratio)
- Vascular disorders (thrombosis, hypertension)
- Enzyme and other biochemical changes (changes in activity of cholinesterase, phosphatase, transaminase and amylase, protein denaturation; toxin, fungus and virus inactivation; tissue cultures killed, alteration in rate of cell division, increase concentration of RNA in lymphocytes and decreased concentration in brain, liver and spleen)
- Metabolic disorders (sugar in urine, increase in urinary phenol, alteration of rate of metabolic enzymatic processes)
- Gastro-intestinal disorders (anorexia, loss of appetite, epigastric pain, constipation, altered secretion of stomach digestive juices)
- Endocrine gland changes (altered pituitary function, hyperthyroidism, thyroid enlargement, increased uptake of radioactive iodine by thyroid gland, altered adrenal cortex activity, decreased corticosteroids in blood, hypogonadism)
- Histological changes (changes in tubular epithelium of testicles, gross changes)
- Genetic and chromosomal changes (chromosome aberrations, mutations, mongolism, somatic alterations, tumors)
- Pearl chain effect (intracellular orientation of subcellular particles and orientation of cellular and other non-biologic particles)
- Miscellaneous effects (sparking between dental fillings; metallic taste in mouth; changes in optical activity; loss of hair; brittleness of hair; sensations of buzzing, vibrations, pulsations about the head and ears; copious perspiration, salivation and protrusion of tongue; changes in the operation of implanted cardiac pacemakers; changes in circadian rhythms)
Source: Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) report from October 4, 1971. Click here.
Bibliography of Reported Biological Phenomena (Effects) and Clinical Manifestations Attributed to Microwave and Radio-Frequency Radiation: Compilation and Integration of Report and Seven Supplements, September 1976, from the Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI)
This report is a compilation and integration of the first seven supplements, and the alphabetical addenda (appended to the original bibliography), with the revised bibliography of April 1972. The report is a successor to Naval Medical Research Institute (NRMI, Bethesda, MD 20014) Research Report No. 2, completed under Research Work Unit MF12.524.015-0004B in October 1971.
[The NRMI 1971 report is listed directly above this entry, and it includes a link to download that report.]
More than 3,700 references on the biological responses to radio frequency and microwave radiation, published up to May 1976, are included in this bibliography of the world literature. Particular attention has been paid to the effects of non-ionizing radiation on man at these frequencies.
Source: Naval Medical Research Institute (NRMI), September 1976. Click here.
Comments from Dr. Olle Johansson, PhD., in the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute
Wireless communication is now being implemented in our daily life in a very fast way. At the same time, it is becoming more and more obvious that the exposure to electromagnetic fields not only may induce acute thermal effects to living organisms, but also non-thermal effects, the latter often after longer exposures. This has been demonstrated in a very large number of studies and includes cellular DNA-damage, disruptions and alterations of cellular functions like increases in intracellular stimulatory pathways and calcium handling, disruption of tissue structures like the blood-brain barrier, impact on vessel and immune functions, and loss of fertility. Whereas scientists can observe and reproduce these effects in controlled laboratory experiments, epidemiological and ecological data derived from long-term exposures reflect in well-designed case-control studies the link all the way from molecular and cellular effects to the living organism up to the induction and proliferation of diseases observed in humans.
It should be noted that we are not the only species at jeopardy, practically all animals and plants may be at stake. Although epidemiological and ecological investigations as such never demonstrate causative effects, due to the vast number of confounders, they confirm the relevance of the controlled observations in the laboratories.
Source: Report to the British Columbia, Canada, Council Meeting regarding BC Hydro Smart Meters: Concerns and Requests. November 7, 2011. Click here.
American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM). August 30, 2013, Letter to the Federal Communications Commission. Request for review of radiofrequency exposure limits.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine is writing to request that the FCC review radiofrequency (RF) exposure limits (reference is made to the FCC's NOI sections 48, 51, 52, 53, 56, 60, 65 and 69), recognize non-thermal effects of RF exposure (NOI sections 66 and 69), and lower limits of RF exposure to protect the public from the adverse health effects of radiofrequency emissions (NOI sections 48, 52, 54, 65 and 71).
It became clear to AAEM physicians that by the mid 1990’s patients were experiencing adverse health reactions and disease as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields. In the last five years with the advent of wireless devices, there has been an exponential increase in the number of patients with radiofrequency induced disease and hypersensitivity.
Numerous peer-reviewed, published studies correlate radiofrequency exposure with a wide range of health conditions and diseases. (NOI sections 54, 59, 60 and 65) These include neurological and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, paresthesias, dizziness, headaches and sleep disruption as well as cardiac, gastrointestinal and immune disease, cancer, developmental and reproductive disorders, and electromagnetic sensitivity. The World Health
Organization has classified RF emissions as a group 2 B carcinogen. This research is reviewed and cited in the following attached documents: AAEM Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Fields Effect on Human Health and AAEM Recommendations Regarding Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Exposure.
The scientific literature proves that non-thermal adverse effects of RF exposure exist and negatively impact health and physiology. New guidelines based on measurements of non-thermal effects and lowering limits of exposure are needed and critical to protect public health.
In fact, electromagnetic sensitivity and the health effects of low level RF exposure have already been acknowledged by the federal government. In 2002, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board stated:
“The Board recognizes...electromagnetic sensitivities may be considered disabilities under the ADA if they so severely impair the neurological, respiratory or other functions on an individual that it substantially limits one or more of the individual’s major life activities”
Additionally, in 2005, the National Institute of Building Sciences, an organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1974, issued an Indoor Environmental Quality Report which concluded:
“For people who are electromagnetically sensitive, the presence of cell phones and towers, portable telephones, computers… wireless devices, security and scanning equipment, microwave ovens, electric ranges and numerous other electrical appliances can make a building inaccessible.”
By recognizing electromagnetic sensitivity, the federal government and affiliated organizations are clearly acknowledging the existence of non-thermal effects. The AAEM urges the FCC to recognize that non-thermal effects of RF exposure exist and cause symptoms and disease. (NOI sections 66 and 69) The AAEM also requests that the FCC base guidelines of RF exposure on measurements of non-thermal effects and lower the limits of RF exposure to protect the health of the public. (NOI sections 48, 52, 54, 65 and 71).
Source: American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), August 30, 2013, letter to the Federal Communications Commission. Click here.
American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM). July 12, 2012. Recommendations regarding Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Exposure.
Physicians of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine recognize that patients are being adversely impacted by electromagnetic frequency (EMF) and radiofrequency (RF) fields and are becoming more electromagnetically sensitive.
The AAEM recommends that physicians consider patients’ total electromagnetic exposure in their diagnosis and treatment, as well as recognition that electromagnetic and radiofrequency field exposure may be an underlying cause of a patient’s disease process.
Based on double‐blinded, placebo controlled research in humans, medical conditions and disabilities that would more than likely benefit from avoiding electromagnetic and radiofrequency exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Neurological conditions such as paresthesias, somnolence, cephalgia, dizziness, unconsciousness, depression
- Musculoskeletal effects including pain, muscle tightness, spasm, fibrillation
- Heart disease and vascular effects including arrhythmia, tachycardia, flushing, edema
- Pulmonary conditions including chest tightness, dyspnea, decreased pulmonary function
- Gastrointestinal conditions including nausea, belching
- Ocular (burning)
- Oral (pressure in ears, tooth pain)
- Dermal (itching, burning, pain)
- Autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia).
Based on numerous studies showing harmful biological effects from EMF and RF exposure, medical conditions and disabilities that would more than likely benefit from avoiding exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
- Neurological conditions (Headaches, depression, sleep disruption, fatigue, dizziness, tremors, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, decreased memory, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, visual disruption).
- Fetal abnormalities and pregnancy.
- Genetic defects and cancer.
- Liver disease and genitourinary disease.
Source: American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), July 12, 2012. Recommendations regarding Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Exposure. Click here.
Guideline of the Austrian Medical Association for the Diagnosis and Treatment of EMF-Related Health Problems and Illnesses. EMF Syndrome. 2012.
This report provides guidance to physicians who are treating patients with EMF-related health problems. It starts with a comprehensive patient history and assessment of their exposure to EMF.
It also lists specific diagnostic tests that should be performed including laboratory tests, 24-hour ECG, 24-hour heart rate variability, blood, urine, saliva, etc. and treatment protocols.
The report also provides information on prevention or reduction of EMF exposure.
Source: Guideline of the Austrian Medical Association for the Diagnosis and Treatment of EMF-Related Health Problems and Illnesses. EMF Syndrome. 2012. Click here.