Cancer and Neurological Effects: WiFi, Cellphones, Cordless phones and Cellphone Towers
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The following areas are well established among the majority of scientists. See, for instance the Bioinitative reports of 2007 and 2012, or the International EMF Scientists Appeal to the UN and WHO of 2015. It has been estimated that some 20,000 studies confirm these adverse effects of low-level radiation exposure.
Cancer
WiFi, cellphones, cellphone towers and cordless phones all give out pulsed radiation at both extremely low and radio or microwave frequencies.
All frequencies are classified as carcinogenic.
All these frequencies are now classified as Class 2B possible Carcinogens.
IARC classification of radio frequency as a 2B human carcinogen applies as much to WiFi and environmental radiation as to cellphone use:
- "The [IARC] working group in the overall evaluation decided to make a generic evaluation of the radio frequency fields and did not want to limit it to mobile telephone use ... It was mainly based on the diversity of the exposures in the animal cancer studies ... and in fact the consideration that the radiation from the environmental sources in the occupational situations and from the mobile telephones is basically and physically speaking the same type of agent." (Dr Robert Bann, officer in charge of the IARC monograph 102 on radio frequency: "Wireless Radiation is a Class 2 B Carcinogen Classification" speaking at Swinburne in 2011; 37 minutes in).
- Letter to Mrs Atzmon, and Letter to Mr Hudson from Dr Robert Bann, officer in charge of the IARC monograph 102 on radio frequency,
Updated cancer status
Leading experts now consider the new evidence since 2001 and 2011 as sufficient to classify both ELF and RF as class 2A probable, where animal studies show 'sufficient' evidence ('sufficient' is the highest grading possible) or class 1 certain cancer agents. Additional evidence from the NTP and Ramazzini studies confirms this.
- "These data support the hypothesis that long-term exposure of 50 Hz magnetic fields is a significant risk factor for neoplastic development and fertility in mice."
(Qi G et al: "Effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) exposure on B6C3F1 mice" 2015)
- "Based on the Hill criteria, glioma and acoustic neuroma should be considered to be caused by RF-EMF emissions from wireless phones and regarded as carcinogenic to humans, classifying it as group 1 according to the IARC classification."
(Hardell & Carlberg: "Using the Hill viewpoints from 1965 for evaluating strengths of evidence of the risk for brain tumors associated with use of mobile and cordless phones" 2013) - Carlberg M et al.: “Evaluation of Mobile Phone and Cordless Phone Use and Glioma Risk Using the Bradford Hill Viewpoints from 1965 on Association or Causation” (Biomed Res Int., 2017)
- Hardell L et al.: “Comments on the US National Toxicology Program technical reports on toxicology and carcinogenesis study in rats exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 900 MHz and in mice exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 1,900 MHz” (Int J Oncol., 2018)
- Lin JC: “Potential Game Changer for Mobile-Phone Radio-Frequency Radiation Carcinogenesis” (Rad Sci Bull. IEEE, 2016)
- Lin JC: “The Significance of Primary Tumors in the NTP Study of Chronic Rat Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation [Health Matters]” (IEEE Explore, 2019)
- Melnick RL: “Commentary on the utility of the National Toxicology Program study on cell phone radiofrequency radiation data for assessing human health risks despite unfounded criticisms aimed at minimizing the findings of adverse health effects” (Environ Res., 2018)
- Miller AB et al.: “Cancer epidemiology update, following the 2011 IARC evaluation of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (Monograph 102)” (Environ Res., 2018)
- Miller AB et al.: “Risks to Health and Well-Being From Radio-Frequency Radiation Emitted by Cell Phones and Other Wireless Devices” (Front Public Health, 2019)
- Prof. Joel M. Moskowitz: "Expert Report by Former U.S. Government Official Concludes High Probability Radio Frequency Radiation Causes Brain Tumors" (Electromagnetic Radiation Safety, March 15 2021)
- "The findings from our study add to the growing body of evidence underscoring the gross inadequacy of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) thermal standards. Based on our findings and on the previous accumulated research, we endorse the recommendations to reclassify RFR exposure as a human carcinogen, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1."
Peleg M et al.: “On radar and radio exposure and cancer in the military setting” (Environ Res., 2022) - Christopher J Portier: "Expert Report" (March 2021)
- Shih Y-W et al.: “Exposure to radiofrequency radiation increases the risk of breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis” (Exp Ther Med., 2021)
- Zhang Y et al.: "Mobile phone use and risks of overall and 25 site-specific cancers: a prospective study from the UK Biobank Study" (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev., 2023)
Neurological Effects (EHS Symptoms etc.)
- Neurological effects, including EHS, have been known since the 1930s.
These are now recognised officially in, for instance, the European Commission Directive of 2013, which requires employers to report typical non-thermal EHS symptoms, such as headaches, as among workers near to MRI scanners. - Neurological effects are also the basis of non-thermal electronic warfare.
Since the 1950s countries have used non-thermal electronic warfare for adversarial conflicts or civilian control purposes. - Neurological EHS effects are also now established as 'consistent' among teenagers using iPads and cellphones etc..
The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority admits to a new and worrying trend of studies which are ‘consistent’ in associating electro-sensitivity symptoms and adolescents using mobile phones: “It is striking that in the last year several papers appeared on symptoms in adolescents and use of mobile phones. Quite clearly, these cross-sectional studies are consistent in that they report an association between mobile phone use in adolescents and the occurrence of symptoms.”
(“Recent Research on EMF and Health Risk: Tenth report from SSM’s Scientific Council on Electromagnetic Fields”, March 2015: 19; p.80)
- Neurological effects are now established in the general population near cellphone towers.
Some 80% of peer-reviewed studies on neurological effects among the general population in the proximity of cellphone towers show typical EHS symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbance, reduced immune function etc. Growing numbers of countries, therefore, are requiring that cellphone towers are located at least 500 meters from areas of residence or hospitals or schools. - Neurological effects are also now established for impaired male fertility.
Some 80% of peer-reviewed studies show reductions in measures of male fertility among men and teenagers exposed to radiation, especially where cellphones are carried close to the body. - Neurological effects are also found among pregnant females.
Concerns over autism, ADHD and other teratological outcomes have led to warnings over WiFi and cellphone exposure among pregnant women, and the development of very low-powered WiFi routers with a 'pregnancy' switch. - Other neurological effects:
some studies link EM exposure to effects on other neurological conditions such as Parkinson's and MS. - Alzheimer's and dementia:
some studies indicate links between EM exposure and Alzheimer's or dementia.
Legal actions concerning cancer from cellphones:
Other Effects
- Diabetes:
Studies indicate effects of EM exposure on glucose levels. - Animal and plant disease:
Studies indicate that long-term electromagnetic exposure weakens the immune system in animals and plants, as well as in humans. - Animal navigation:
Because many animals rely on magnetic fields for navigation and migration, many birds and bees are adversely affected by environmental electromagnetic radiation.