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Health effects of electromagnetic fields: Commission's Scientific Committee
adopts opinion
Today, the Commission's independent Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly
Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) publishes its opinion on possible health effects of
electromagnetic fields (EMF). Due to rapid technological advances and new scientific
research, the Commission asked the Committee to update its opinion from 21 March 2007.
The update considered more than 200 new scientific papers yet the conclusions differ little
from the earlier opinion. Based on current evidence the main conclusions remain that radio
frequency fields used in wireless communication technologies are unlikely to lead to an
increase in cancer in the human population at large. However, further studies are needed to
clarify if long-term exposure to mobile phones (well beyond 10 years) increases cancer risk
for an individual using a mobile phone frequently and to examine the effects on children. The
Commission has committed research funds from the 7th research framework programme to
investigate the link between mobile phones and brain cancer risk in children. Data for health
effects of intermediate frequency fields used, for example, in metal detectors or anti theft
devices in shops, are still lacking. This area of research is important given the increasing
exposure to these products and will thus need to be continued. The updated opinion confirms
the 2007 opinion that extremely low frequency fields, used in high voltage power lines might
contribute to childhood leukaemia. Furthermore, the updated opinion identified 2 new
epidemiological studies that indicate a possible link to Alzheimer's disease. These are
serious matters and further investigation will be pursued. Given the seriousness of these
issues and noting the growing public concern on this subject as well as the absence of clear
scientific evidence on many questions, the Commission will hold a workshop on EMF and
Health on 11 and 12 February. The workshop will bring together scientists, stakeholders and
policy makers to discuss the latest scientific assessments on EMF and health and generate a
constructive policy dialogue.
SCENIHR Opinion:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_022.pdf
Easy to read version of Opinion (from March 2007):
http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/electromagnetic-fields/index.htm
Workshop on EMF and health: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/ev_20090211_en.htm
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