Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Quotes from the Bioinitiative Report

Brief Quotes from the Bioinitiative Report

A scientific study of more than 2000 research reports on the biological effects of Extreme Low Frequency and Radio Frequency Radiation

www.bioinitiative.org

Editor…color emphasis is added for quicker reading

The clear consensus of the BioInitiative Working Group members is that the existing public safety limits are inadequate for both Extreme Low Frequency (ELF) Radiation and Radio Frequency (RF) radiation.

There may be no lower limit at which exposures do not affect us. Until we know if there is a lower limit below which bioeffects and adverse health impacts do not occur, it is unwise from a public health perspective to continue “business-as-usual” deploying new technologies that increase ELF and RF exposures, particularly involuntary exposures

It appears it is the INFORMATION conveyed by electromagnetic radiation (rather than (Heat) that causes biological changes - some of these biological changes may lead to loss of wellbeing, disease and even death.

There may be no lower limit at which exposures do not affect us. Until we know if there is a lower limit below which bioeffects and adverse health impacts do not occur, it is unwise from a public health perspective to continue “business-as-usual” deploying new technologies that increase ELF and RF exposures, particularly involuntary exposures

There is little doubt that exposure to ELF causes childhood leukemia. There is some evidence that other childhood cancers may be related to ELF exposure but not enough studies have been done.

Children who have leukemia and are in recovery have poorer survival rates if their
ELF exposure at home (or where they are recovering) is between 1mG and 2 mG in one study; over 3 mG in another study.

New ELF public exposure limits are warranted at this time, given the existing scientific evidence and need for public health policy intervention and prevention.

People who have used a cell phone for ten years or more have higher rates of malignant brain tumor and acoustic neuromas. It is worse if the cell phone has been used primarily on one side of the head.

People who have used a cordless phone for ten years or more have higher rates of malignant brain tumor and acoustic neuromas. It is worse if the cordless phone has been used primarily on one side of the head

The current standard for exposure to the emissions of cell phones and cordless phones is not safe considering studies reporting long-term brain tumor and acoustic neuroma risks

The evidence from studies on women in the workplace rather strongly suggests that ELF is a risk factor for breast cancer for women with long-term exposures of 10 mG and higher.

Given the very high lifetime risks for developing breast cancer, and the critical importance of prevention; ELF exposures should be reduced for all people who are in high ELF environments for prolonged periods of time.

Studies of human breast cancer cells and some animal studies show that ELF is likely to be a risk factor for breast cancer.

There is supporting evidence for a link between breast cancer and exposure to ELF that comes from cell and animal studies, as well as studies of human breast cancers.

Alzheimer’s disease is a disease of the nervous system. There is strong evidence that long term exposure to ELF is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

There is little doubt that electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones and cell phone use affect electrical activity of the brain.

Changes in the way in which the brain and nervous system react depend very much on the specific exposures.

The consequence of prolonged exposures to children, whose nervous systems continue to develop until late adolescence, is unknown at this time. This could have serious implications to adult health and functioning in society if years of exposure of the young to both ELF and RF result in diminished capacity for thinking, judgment, memory, learning, and control over behavior. Most studies only look at short-term effects, so the long-term consequences of exposures are not known.

The effects of long-term exposure to wireless technologies including emissions from cell phones and other personal devices, and from whole-body exposure to RF transmissions from cell towers and antennas is simply not known yet with certainty. However, the body of evidence at hand suggests that bioeffects and health impacts can and do occur at exquisitely low exposure levels: levels that can be thousands of times below public safety limits.

Both ELF and RF exposures can be considered genotoxic (will damage DNA) under certain conditions of exposure, including exposure levels that are lower than existing safety limits.

Very low-level ELF and RF exposures can cause cells to produce stress proteins, meaning that the cell recognizes ELF and RF exposures as harmful. This is another important way in which scientists have documented that ELF and RF exposures can be harmful, and it happens at levels far below the existing public safety standards.

There is substantial evidence that ELF and RF can cause inflammatory reactions, allergy reactions and change normal immune function at levels allowed by current public safety standards.

Oxidative stress through the action of free radical damage to DNA is a plausible biological mechanism for cancer and diseases that involve damage from ELF to the central nervous system.

Medical conditions are successfully treated using EMFs at levels below current public safety standards, proving another way that the body recognizes and responds to low-intensity EMF signals. Otherwise, these medical treatments could not work. The FDA has approved EMFs medical treatment devices, so is clearly aware of this paradox

No one would recommend that drugs used in medical treatments and prevention of disease be randomly given to the public, especially to children. Yet, random and involuntary exposures to EMFs occur all the time in daily life.

V. CONCLUSIONS

• We cannot afford ‘business as usual” any longer. It is time that planning for new power lines and for new homes, schools and other habitable spaces around them is done with routine provision for low-ELF environments . The business-as-usual deployment of new wireless technologies is likely to be risky and harder to change if society does not make some educated decisions about limits soon. Research must continue to define what levels of RF related to new wireless technologies are acceptable; but more research should not prevent or delay substantive changes today that might save money, lives and societal disruption tomorrow.

• New regulatory limits for ELF are warranted. ELF limits should be set below those exposure levels that have been linked in childhood leukemia studies to increased risk of disease, plus an additional safety factor. It is no longer acceptable to build new power lines and electrical facilities that place people in ELF environments that have been determined to be risky (at levels generally at 2 mG and above).

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