http://www.csicop.org/si/show/growing_hysteria/
How do we know that these mechanisms are the only harmful effects of EMF? In its 2004 document “What are Electromagnetic Fields: Health Effects” the WHO said: “In the area of biological effects and medical applications of non-ionizing radiation approximately 25,000 articles have been published over the past thirty years. Despite the feeling of some people that more research needs to be done, scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields.”
Yet in a recent motion passed in April 2009 by the lopsided margin of 559 to 22, the European Parliament called upon its Commission “to launch an ambitious program to gauge the electromagnetic compatibility between waves created artificially and those emitted naturally by the living human body with a view to determining whether microwaves might ultimately have undesirable consequences for human health” and “calls for particular consideration of biological effects … especially given that some studies have found the most harmful effects at lowest levels … and developing solutions that negate or reduce the pulsating and amplitude modulation of the frequencies used for transmission….”
Aside from the nonsense about “artificial waves” and “lowest level amplitude modulation,” the Parliament’s own scientific advisory body the SCENIHR had just released a comprehensive new report (January 2009) “Health Effects of Exposure to EMF.” One of its key findings (p. 4) was: “It is concluded from three independent lines of evidence (epidemiological, animal, and in vitro studies) that exposure to RF fields is unlikely to lead to an increase in cancer in humans.” It also echoed the findings of the WHO (p. 25): “Although new exposure sources such as mobile phone base stations, cordless phone base stations or wireless networks are relatively recent, exposures from these sources are generally lower than the ones investigated in these studies on broadcast transmitters. Thus, there appears to be no immediate need for further studies related to these sources.” Most of the world’s major national public health organizations, including the FDA and the CDC, have come to similar conclusions.
But in its motion, the European Parliament not only ignored the findings of its own scientists, it even called into question their scientific integrity! It is as if the U.S. Congress had voted by an overwhelming margin for more research on UFOs and had questioned the integrity of mainstream scientists who say there is no good evidence that UFOs exist. What’s going on here?
How do we know that these mechanisms are the only harmful effects of EMF? In its 2004 document “What are Electromagnetic Fields: Health Effects” the WHO said: “In the area of biological effects and medical applications of non-ionizing radiation approximately 25,000 articles have been published over the past thirty years. Despite the feeling of some people that more research needs to be done, scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields.”
Yet in a recent motion passed in April 2009 by the lopsided margin of 559 to 22, the European Parliament called upon its Commission “to launch an ambitious program to gauge the electromagnetic compatibility between waves created artificially and those emitted naturally by the living human body with a view to determining whether microwaves might ultimately have undesirable consequences for human health” and “calls for particular consideration of biological effects … especially given that some studies have found the most harmful effects at lowest levels … and developing solutions that negate or reduce the pulsating and amplitude modulation of the frequencies used for transmission….”
Aside from the nonsense about “artificial waves” and “lowest level amplitude modulation,” the Parliament’s own scientific advisory body the SCENIHR had just released a comprehensive new report (January 2009) “Health Effects of Exposure to EMF.” One of its key findings (p. 4) was: “It is concluded from three independent lines of evidence (epidemiological, animal, and in vitro studies) that exposure to RF fields is unlikely to lead to an increase in cancer in humans.” It also echoed the findings of the WHO (p. 25): “Although new exposure sources such as mobile phone base stations, cordless phone base stations or wireless networks are relatively recent, exposures from these sources are generally lower than the ones investigated in these studies on broadcast transmitters. Thus, there appears to be no immediate need for further studies related to these sources.” Most of the world’s major national public health organizations, including the FDA and the CDC, have come to similar conclusions.
But in its motion, the European Parliament not only ignored the findings of its own scientists, it even called into question their scientific integrity! It is as if the U.S. Congress had voted by an overwhelming margin for more research on UFOs and had questioned the integrity of mainstream scientists who say there is no good evidence that UFOs exist. What’s going on here?