5G should transfer huge amounts of data quickly. But it could also harm your health. Europe’s governments ignore the danger.”
Investigate Europe, a pan-European team of journalists, reports on the state of the science and exposes the harmful roles that the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the World Health Organization’s International EMF Project,  and the EU Commission’s Scientific Committee on New Health Risks (SCENIHR) have played in paving the way for the deployment of 5G without regard to health consequences. 
Investigate Europe identified 14 scientists who protect ICNIRP’s obsolete and inadequate EMF exposure guidelines by preparing biased reviews of the research literature. At least eight have had industry research funding. An interactive graph depicts the interconnections between these scientists and governmental and quasi-governmental agencies: https://www.kumu.io/Investigate-Europe/das-experten-netzwerk

Nov 1, 2018


THE EMF CALL: Scientists and NGO’s call for better protection from Exposure to Radiation from Wireless Technology
Press-Release Nov 1, 2018
157 scientists and medical doctors together with 86 non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) from all over the world are calling for more protective limits for exposure to radiofrequency radiation from wireless technologies. In a joint statement, THE EMF CALL, they conclude that the ICNIRP guidelines are unscientific and do not protect against harmful health effects including cancer.
The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) issued draft Guidelines on 11th July 2018 for limiting exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields (EMF) (100 kHz to 300 GHz). The guidelines are inadequate to protect humans and the environment, as they only protect against acute thermal effects from very short and intense exposure. They do not protect against cancer, reproductive harm, or effects on the nervous system, although the preponderance of the peer-reviewed research has found adverse effects from chronic exposure at intensities below the ICNIRP limits.
In May, 2011, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), concluded that radiofrequency radiation in the frequency range 30 kHz–300 GHz is a “possible” human carcinogen (Group 2B). However, the ICNIRP ignores this as well as the increasing evidence in recent years for carcinogenicity. 
The scientists and the NGO’s demand the development and adoption of new medical guidelines that represent the state of medical science and that are truly protective of human health and the environment.  The scientists and medical doctors, selected to review the scientific literature and propose new radiofrequency radiation safety guidelines, must be free of conflicts of interest including direct and indirect ties to industry.
                                                                                            
Professor David Carpenter, Director at the Institute for Health and the Environment, University of Albany, USA notes that:
   The evidence for harm from both 50/60 Hz EMFs and radiofrequency exposures is strong in both human and animal studies.  There are associations between increasing exposure not only with cancer, but also with adverse reproductive outcomes in both males and females, adverse effects on cognitive function and behavior and increased risk of development of the syndrome of electro-hypersensitivity.  We must find ways of reducing human exposure in order to reduce the incidence of human disease.
Dr. Lennart Hardell, Swedish oncologist with long-term research in this area says:
   The roll-out of 5G, the fifth generation of telecommunication technology will substantially increase exposure to radiofrequency radiation. Thus, in addition to the urgent need for new guidelines on current exposure a moratorium on the roll-out of 5G should be implemented.
Dr Joel Moskowitz, from the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA points out that the EMF CALL re-iterates the concerns raised by the scientific community in the International EMF Scientist Appeal about the harm caused by chronic exposure to low-intensity EMF: 
            The Appeal, which has been signed by more than 240 scientists who have published over 2,000 peer-reviewed papers on EMF and biology or health, calls for strengthening of EMF guidelines, especially to protect children and pregnant women. For more information about the Appeal, see https://emfscientist.org.

According to Dr Gerd Oberfeld, from the Salzburg Public Health Department, Austria, the world has too long relied on incomplete EMF exposure guidelines:
    The body of scientific evidence for detrimental health effects from EMF exposure is overwhelming. There is now even no need to call the precautionary principle into play to take action. It is the duty of scientists to inform the public and the duty of the public to force governments to apply new truly protective EMF exposure guidelines as well as to educate the society how to reduce EMF exposures.
Contacts: 

Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation






How the Mobile Communication Industry Deals with Science as Illustrated by ICNIRP versus NTP 

Franz Adlkofer, Pandora Foundation for independent research, Oct 26, 2018

The development of mobile communication technologies starting with 1G up to now 5G is a success story rarely heard of previously. It has only been possible because industry experts in charge of the technology assumed that radiofrequency (RF) radiation and its modulations – similar to visible light – are biologically harmless. They believed in safety limits that reliably protect people only from the acute thermal effects of RF radiation inherent in the system. Biological effects below the safety limits were categorically ruled out because their existence allegedly contradicted the laws of physics.

So, the technical use of RF radiation in mobile communication has experienced hardly any limitation. Doubts about the harmlessness of this radiation, just as old as the technique itself, have been countered by the mobile communication industry as wrong and without basis. Compliant scientists, whose preferred opinion was more important than their qualifications, were generously supported and, by using political connections, placed in national and international advisory and decision-making bodies.

A milestone in putting through the interests of the mobile communication industry was the establishment of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) in 1992. It is a non-governmental organization. Michael Repacholi, then head of the WHO’s EMF Project, managed to get official recognition for this group by the WHO as well as the EU and a series of its member states, among them Germany. Repacholi, first ICNIRP chairman and later emeritus – member, left the WHO after allegations of corruption in 2006 and found a new position as a consultant to an American electricity provider. ICNIRP’s most important task is the establishment of safety limits for non-ionizing radiation including RF radiation. Its decisions are of utmost importance for the mobile communication industry’s economic and strategic planning. The ICNIRP, whose members are convinced of the harmlessness of RF radiation, has never changed its attitude despite all research progress made in this field since 1992. To guarantee that the mobile communication industry can permanently rely on ICNIRP, the succession of a member who leaves is regulated by statute. The remaining members select the new one on the basis of mutual understanding. Together with the other groups mentioned above ICNIRP has ensured that mobile communication industry is not only dominating the technical research to which it is entitled to, but also the biological research – this at the expense of the human health.


https://pandora-foundation.eu/2018/10/26/how-the-mobile-communication-industry-deals-with-science-as-illustrated-by-icnirp-versus-ntp/#more-1199

MORE INFO HERE  Comment 01net Magazine désinforme ses lecteurs sur les risques santé du téléphone portable.

Full report: https://stiftung-pandora.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Pandora_Adlkofer_Dealing-with-NTP-Nancy-Draft_181026_en.pdf


Excerpts

“There is no doubt that the evaluation of the NTP Study results by the invited panel members met all scientific criteria. This is also proven by the fact that the scientists responsible for the NTP Study have been confronted with numerous mistakes and other flaws, which could have been avoided with a better planning and implementation. However, these mistakes and flaws are by far not enough to question the most important result of the NTP Study, the evidence of carcinogenicity from mobile communication radiation.”

“From the NTP Study it must be concluded that the safety limits established by ICNIRP are unable to guarantee the intended purpose, which is the protection of people from harmful effects of the mobile communication radiation, and that therefore time has come for IARC to adjust the classification of RF radiation from “possibly carcinogenic for humans” (Group 2B) to “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A) or even “carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1). Casting doubt on the NTP results, which threaten the business model of the mobile communication industry, as done by ICNIRP, is betrayal of science. If any further proof that ICNIRP is a public relations organization of the mobile communication industry would have been necessary, its Note on recent animal carcinogenesis studies (2) quoted above has finally adduced it. [See below.]

ICNIRP argues that the NTP Study has no reliable basis to revise the current safety limits for RF radiation. Since its guidelines are solely based on acute thermal effects of the radiation, believing that other effects do not exist, the argument is not without logic to them. However, the NTP Study has clearly shown that this stand is absolutely unfounded, because the RF radiation unfolds its harmful effects also within the safety limits, when the exposure time is long enough. The NTP Study, up to now certainly the most ambitious and the most convincing one, has proven this with “clear evidence” (3,5). At the same time, it has refuted the reliability of the current safety limits. As always in such cases the robot-like answer by ICNIRP is that many questions must be answered until causality can finally be acknowledged. 

ICNIRP wants the perfect study. The fact that this is impossible because of the nature of biological research, can obviously not be imparted to its members. So they show either incompetence in regard of their scientific qualifications or, most probably, the intention to help the mobile communication industry in a difficult situation. It looks as if ICNIRP is once again used by this industry to enforce its interests, and this time with a method copied from the tobacco industry. By sowing doubt for decades, the tobacco industry succeeded in keeping people unsure about the already certain fact that smoking causes lung cancer. Now the mobile communication industry uses the same tactic, and this with even more dire consequences: the addiction might be comparable, but the number of addicts is by far much higher.”

https://betweenrockandhardplace.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/pandora_adlkofer_dealing-with-ntp_en.pdf




Sep 12, 2018



US Scientist Criticizes ICNIRP’s
Refusal to Reassess Cell Phone Radiation Exposure Guidelines 

after US National
Toxicology Program Studies Show Clear Evidence of Cancer 
Ronald L.
Melnick, Ph.D., has issued a scientific critique of ICNIRPs dismissal of the cell phone radiation studies conducted by the U.S. 
National Toxicology Program (NTP).
On
September 4, 2018, ICNIRP issued a “Note on Recent Animal Studies” that
concluded the $28 million NTP study did “not provide a reliable basis” for changing the over two
decades old guidelines on radio frequency- cell phone and wireless – radiation. 
In response, Dr. Melnick addressed 15 concerns raised by the ICNIRP about the NTP studies. He presented data to show that the ICNIRP document contains “numerous false and misleading
statements” and concluded by questioning who the ICNIRP is protecting:

“Based on numerous incorrect and misleading claims, the
ICNIRP report concludes that “these studies (NTP and Ramazzini) do not provide
a reliable basis for revising the existing radiofrequency exposure guidelines.”
The data on gliomas of the brain and schwannomas of the heart induced by cell
phone radiation are suitable for conducting a quantitative risk assessment and
subsequent re-evaluation of health-based exposure limits. The ‘P’ in ICNIRP
stands for Protection. One must wonder who this commission is trying to protect
– evidently, it is not public health.”

Dr. Melnick was a Senior Scientist in the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. He served as a toxicologist for over 28 years before retiring in 2009. In 2007 he received the American Public Health Association’s David P. Rall Award for science-based advocacy in public health.
Melnick
RL. Critique of the ICNIRP Note of September 4, 2018 Regarding Recent Animal
Carcinogenesis Studies. Environmental Health Trust. Sep 12, 2018. Open access document: 
http://bit.ly/MelnickICNIRP9-12-2018

Comments about the ICNIRP evaluation of the NTP and Ramazzini Institute studies 
by the Ramazzini Institute 
In recent days, the International Commission for the Protection of Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP) has dismissed the results of the studies conducted by the Ramazzini Institute (RI) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) on cell phone radiation as “unconvincing
Following are the observations of Dr. Fiorella Belpoggi, director of the “Cesare Maltoni” cancer research center of the Ramazzini Institute.




1. Both the NTP and the RI studies were well performed,and no bias affected the results. The ICNIRP confirms this conclusion.
2. Schwannomas are tumors arising from the Schwann cells. They are peripheral glial cells which cover and protect the surface of all nerves diffused throughout the body; so vestibular (acoustic nerve) and heart schwannomas have the same tissue of origin: ICNIRP seems to ignore that.
3. In rats, increases in malignant heart schwannomas, malignant glial tumors of the brain and Schwann Cell Hyperplasia (a pre-malignant lesion) are rare yet these lesions were observed in exposed animals in both laboratories, at thousands of kilometers distance, in a wide range of radiofrequency radiation exposures studied. These findings could not be interpreted as occurring “by chance”.
4. We are scientists. Our role is to produce solid evidence for hazard and risk assessment. Underestimating the evidence from carcinogen bioassays and delays in regulation have already proven many times to have severe consequences, as in the case of asbestos, smoking and vinyl chloride. This position of ICNIRP represents its own responsibility toward citizens and public health.
5. ICNIRP is not a public health agency that routinely evaluates carcinogens. On the other hand, an independent agency that has evaluated over 1000 agents, IARC, as early as 2011 classified radio freqency radiation as a possible carcinogen on the basis of limited evidence in humans and limited evidence in animals. The studies of the RI and NTP will certainly contribute to the burden of evidence that IARC and other public health agencies can draw upon as a solid base for the re-evaluation of RFR carcinogenicity.

http://bit.ly/RI-ICNIRP

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ICNIRP Critique of the National Toxicology Program and Ramazzini Institute
Animal Studies of the Carcinogenicity of Long-Term Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation

ICNIRP. ICNIRP Note on Recent Animal Carcinogenesis Studies. Munich, Germany. Sep 4, 2018. https://www.icnirp.org/cms/upload/publications/ICNIRPnote2018.pdf


Introduction


Two recent animal studies investigating the carcinogenic potential of long-term exposure to
radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) associated with mobile phones have been released: one by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP 2018a, b) and the other from the Ramazzini Institute (Falcioni et al. 2018). These studies, among others, have been taken into account during revision of the ICNIRP radiofrequency exposure guidelines. However, both studies have inconsistencies and limitations that affect the usefulness of their results for setting exposure guidelines, and both need to be considered within the context of other animal and human carcinogenicity research. Overall, based on the considerations outlined below, ICNIRP concludes that these studies do not provide a reliable basis for revising the existing radiofrequency exposure guidelines.


<snip>


Conclusion


Although the NTP (2018a, b) and Falcioni et al. (2018) studies used large numbers of animals, best laboratory practice, and exposed animals for the whole of their lives, consideration of their findings does not provide evidence that radiofrequency EMF is carcinogenic. NTP reported that their strongest findings were of increased malignant cardiac schwannoma in male rats, however that is not consistent with the results of Falcioni et al. (2018), is not consistent with the NTP female rat nor male or female mouse results, and is not consistent with the radiofrequency EMF cancer literature more generally. While results from epidemiological studies suggest vestibular schwannoma is an outcome of interest,
this is not true for malignant cardiac schwannoma. NTP found no increase in schwannoma overall or for vestibular schwannoma. Further, as multiple comparisons were not controlled for in the NTP study, there is no indication that the increased incidence of malignant cardiac schwannomas in male rats was more than what would be expected by chance alone. ICNIRP considers that the NTP (2018a, b) and Falcioni et al. (2018) studies do not provide a consistent, reliable and generalizable body of evidence that can be used as a basis for revising current human exposure guidelines. Further research is required that addresses the above limitations.





Jul 23, 2018


ICNIRP requests public input on its radio frequency radiation
exposure guidelines
“The main objective of this publication is to
establish guidelines for limiting exposure to EMFs that will provide a high
level of protection for all people against known adverse health effects from
direct, non-medical exposures to both short- and long-term, continuous and
discontinuous radiofrequency EMFs.”
The new publication replaces the
1998 RF exposure guidelines which have influenced RF exposure standards in many
nations including the guidelines adopted by the U.S. Federal Communications
Commission.
ICNIRP is an
association with a scientific mission that is registered in Germany as a
nonprofit organization. It is “formally recognized as an official collaborating
non-governmental organization (NGO) by the World Health Organization (WHO) and
the International Labour Organization (ILO). ICNIRP is linked to many
organizations engaged in non-ionizing radiation protection worldwide and
consults with the European Commission.”

ICNIRP’s new draft safety guidelines dismiss the
research on the effects of chronic exposure to non-thermal levels of RF
radiation. In its latest health risk assessment, ICNIRP concludes that there
are
no “substantiated”
adverse effects of RF radiation on human health. See Appendix B: Health Risk Assessment Literature and a summary
of the findings which appears below.
Following is ICNIRP’s justification for
ignoring most of the EMF research in its health risk assessment:
“ICNIRP
bases its guidelines on substantiated adverse health effects. This makes the
difference between a biological and an adverse health effect an important
distinction, where only adverse health effects require limits for the
protection of humans.” (ICNIRP
Guidelines: Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric, Magnetic
and Electromagnetic Fields [100 kHz TO 300 GHz].
July 11, 2018 draft. p. 2)
“These guidelines specify quantitative EMF
levels for safe personal exposure. Adherence to these levels is intended to
protect people from all known harmful effects of radiofrequency EMF exposure.
To determine these levels, ICNIRP first identified published scientific
literature concerning effects of radiofrequency EMF exposure on biological
systems, and established
which of these were both harmful to human health, and scientifically
substantiated. This latter point is important because ICNIRP considers that, in
general, reported effects need to be independently replicated, be of sufficient
scientific quality and explicable more generally within the context of the
scientific literature, in order to be taken as ‘evidence’ and used for setting
exposure restrictions. Within the guidelines, ‘evidence’ will be used within
this context, and ‘substantiated effect’ used to describe reported effects that
satisfy this definition of evidence. (ICNIRP Guidelines: Guidelines for Limiting
Exposure to Time-Varying Electric, Magnetic and Electromagnetic Fields [100 kHz
TO 300 GHz].”
 July 11, 2018 draft.
p. 2)
Public consultation on ICNIRP RF exposure guidelines
The consultation process which began on July 11 ends on
October 9, 2018. ICNIRP members will review public comments prior to finalizing
the RF exposure guidelines. ICNIRP will
not reply to comments.
Files for download
My editorial comments
To date, 242 scientists who have published peer-reviewed research on EMF
and biology or health have signed the EMF Scientist Appeal. Collectively, these
scientists from 41 nations have published
more than 2,000 papers on EMF. The Appeal
calls on the WHO and the United Nations including its member states to
adopt more protective exposure guidelines for EMF including RF radiation in the
face of increasing evidence of health risks since these exposures are a rapidly
growing form of worldwide environmental pollution.
In a recently published, peer-reviewed paper, “Thermal and non-thermal health effects of low intensity non-ionizing radiation: An international perspective,Belpomme and his colleagues (2018) criticize
the WHO due to its reliance upon ICNIRP and its members for expert advice. The
paper claims that ICNIRP and its advisors have “close associations with
industry,” and “conflicts of interest.” According to the authors, ICNIRP and its
advisors have been engaged in decades of “
denial
of serious non-thermal effects of RF-EMFs in spite of overwhelming scientific
evidence to the contrary.” 
Moreover,
Belpomme and his colleagues criticize ICNIRP’s safety limits:
“The
specific absorption rate (SAR)-based ICNIRP safety limits were established on
the basis of simulation of EMF energy absorption using standardized adult male
phantoms, and designed to protect people only from the thermal effects of EMFs.
These assumptions are not valid for two reasons. Not only do they fail to
consider the specific morphological and bioclinical vulnerabilities of
children, but also they ignore the effects known to occur at non-thermal
intensities….”
Finally, Belpomme and his colleagues (2018) provide a summary of the peer-reviewed scientific literature that arrives at very different conclusions than ICNIRP’s health risk assessment:

“It is urgent
that national and international bodies, particularly the WHO, take this
significant public health hazard seriously and make appropriate recommendations
for protective measures to reduce exposures. This is especially urgently needed
for children and adolescents. It is also important that all parts of society,
especially the medical community, educators, and the general public, become
informed about the hazards associated with exposure to EMFs and of the steps
that can be easily taken to reduce exposure and risk of associated disease.”

The rules that ICNIRP applies for a study to be included in
its health risk assessment seem overly stringent. If other official bodies
(e.g., the International Agency for Research on Cancer or the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency) were to adopt such rules, I suspect that very few
chemicals would be classified as toxins or carcinogens. By its own admission, ICNIRP
is not concerned about protecting animal or plant life from the adverse effects
of EMF exposure, and it is arguable that they are truly concerned about protecting
humans.
If the claims of some EMF scientists and scientific
organizations (e.g., the European Cancer and Environment Research Institute and
the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) are true
that ICNIRP’s members and scientific advisors are selected because they are biased toward industry,
then it is fruitless to engage in ICNIRP’s public consultation process
(see
my posts from May 1 through June 27, 2017.)
Since the credibility of ICNIRP depends heavily
upon its association with the WHO, a more fruitful activity for the EMF scientific community might be to convince the WHO and governments not to rely on
ICNIRP for EMF guidelines and no longer consult ICNIRP’s advisors.
“ICNIRP bases its guidelines on substantiated adverse health
effects. This makes the difference between a biological and an adverse health
effect an important distinction, where only adverse health effects require
limits for the protection of humans.” (p. 2)
Brain electrical activity and
cognitive function
“In summary, there is no
substantiated experimental or epidemiological evidence that exposure to
radiofrequency EMF affects higher cognitive functions relevant to health.” (p.
3)
Symptoms and wellbeing
“In summary, no reports of adverse effects on symptoms and
wellbeing have been substantiated, except for pain, which is related to
elevated temperature at high exposure levels. Thresholds for these have not
been clearly identified, but the best estimate is within the vicinity of 10 and
20 mA for indirect contact currents, for children and adults respectively, and
12.5 kW m-2 for  direct
millimeter-wave exposure.”  (pp. 3-4)
Other brain
physiology and related functions
“In summary, there is no
evidence of effects of radiofrequency EMF on physiological processes or eye
pathology that impair health in humans. Some evidence of superficial eye damage
has been shown in rabbits at exposures of at least 1.4 kW m-2,
although the relevance of this to humans has not been demonstrated.“ (p. 4)
Auditory,
vestibular and ocular function
“In summary, no effects
on auditory, vestibular, or ocular function relevant to human health have been
substantiated.” (p. 5)
Neuroendocrine
system
“In summary, the lowest
level at which an effect of radiofrequency EMF on the neuroendocrine system has
been observed is 4 W kg-1 (in rodents and primates), but there is no
evidence that this translates to humans or is relevant to human health. No
other effects have been substantiated.” (p. 6)
Neurodegenerative
diseases
 “In summary, no adverse effects on
neurodegenerative diseases have been substantiated.” (p. 6)
Cardiovascular
system, autonomic nervous system and thermoregulation
“In summary, no effects
on the cardiovascular system, autonomic nervous system, or thermoregulation
that compromise health have been substantiated for exposures with whole body
average SARs below approximately 1 W kg-1, and there is some
evidence that 4 W kg-1 is not sufficient to alter body core temperature
in hamsters. However, there is strong evidence that whole body exposures in
rats that are sufficient to increase body core temperature by several degrees
centigrade can cause serious adverse health effects in rats.” (p. 7)
Immune system and
haematology
“The few human studies
have not indicated any evidence that radiofrequency EMF affects health in
humans via the immune system or haematology.” (p. 7)
Fertility,
reproduction and childhood development
“In summary, no adverse
effects of radiofrequency EMF exposure on fertility, reproduction or
development relevant to human health have been substantiated.” (p. 8)
Cancer 
  
“In summary, no effects
of radiofrequency EMF on cancer have been substantiated.” (pp. 8-9)










https://www.saferemr.com/2018/07/icnirps-exposure-guidelines-for-radio.html