Subject:  WHO EMF Study.......
Date:     Tue, 3 Feb 1998 103238 -0600 (CST)
From:     "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To:       emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------



Hi everybody:

As many of you know, the World Health Organization (WHO) has decided
to get into the EMF issue by attempting to undertake a five-year study
of its own which hopes to ascertain the possible extent of the EMF
hazard to the world's population.  The last we heard, the funding for
this project is still in doubt -- and (alarmingly) the extent of
_industry influence_ in this study is already casting doubts upon
its eventual scientific validity.

Nevertheless, from time to time we do receive press releases or other
documents from WHO which remind us that the effort is still ongoing.

I am forwarding below a portion of one such document, called the
"Research Priorities" for this project.  I am forwarding only the one
section (ELF, which interests me most) in the interest of reducing the
length of this message.  But anyone who would like to receive the
entire document will receive it if you just ask me.....  The other
sections cover the RF and other higher frequency aspects of the EMF
problem, in particular:  the cell-phone issue.

[Guru does offer a few comments, thus:]

*******************************


WHO INTERNATIONAL EMF PROJECT EMF research priorities
received Feb 1 1998


 (EMF). These reviews, summarized in the Munich and Bologna meeting
reports (see reference section below), covered static, extremely low
frequency (ELF: >0 to 300 Hz) and radiofrequency (RF: > 300 Hz to 300GHz)
fields.

The reviews identified research that had raised unresolved questions
about whether exposure to low-level EMFs, particularly over long periods,
has any deleterious effects on human health. WHO's research agenda has
been formulated to try to resolve these questions.

During 4-5 December 1997, research managers and scientists met at WHO in
Geneva to assess ongoing research and identify what further research was
needed to complete WHO's EMF research priorities. The purpose of this
Research Coordination committee is to:

 Assist in the coordination of research needed by WHO.
 Avoid duplication of research, ensuring that scarce resources are used
  wisely and effectively.
 Encourage high quality research.
 Encourage the use of standardised protocols so that results can be
  easily compared or studies combined, where possible, to allow
  meta-analyses to be performed.
 Maintain an updated inventory of EMF research, researchers and results.

.....//cut//........


The agenda below lists EMF research that still needs to be completed so
WHO will have sufficient information to make improved assessments of any
health risks from exposure to EMF.

It is hoped that this programme of research can be completed in about the
next 5 years.

......//cut//.........

ELF electric and magnetic fields

An unresolved health issue comes from epidemiological studies suggesting
an increased risk of leukaemia in children living near power lines.
Whether this is due to exposure to ELF magnetic fields or some other
factor in the environment, has yet to be determined. 

...[Here WHO tips off its pro-industry bias.  Only industry continues to
argue that the many studies showing an EMF/health association is "yet
to be determined."  But, you must remember, the future of the WHO study
depends upon at least a "neutral" industry position.  Otherwise, the
funding governments will not be able to fund their commitments....guru]

Other unresolved
issues for health relate to studies suggesting that ELF exposure may be
associated with increases in breast and other adult cancers,
neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's),  and subjective and
other non-specific effects (eg "hypersensitivity" to electricity).

...[I am pleased to see the next two paragraphs......  They at least
recognize the possibility that the 'time weighted average sinu-soidal
magnetic field' (myopic) approach -- that has been taken by the U.S.
research community -- may be missing something important!!!....guru]

There have been no completed studies that specifically investigate the
possibility of biological effects from exposure to transients (rapid
changes in field intensity from switching electric currents or using
electrical devices) or high frequency fields superimposed on 50/60 Hz
fields in our living and working environment.

On theoretical grounds, transient or high frequency harmonic fields are
more likely to cause biological effects than sinusoidal 50/60 Hz fields.
A number of studies related to the WHO EMF research agenda are currently
under way, but others are needed to complement these studies, as required
by the Bologna meeting report:

 (i) Thorough surveys of transients and other perturbations of 50/60 Hz
fields should be conducted to better characterize the actual fields in
the environment. These data are needed to determine the prevalence of
fields that are theoretically most likely to cause biological effects by
inducing signals in cells above their normal electrical noise levels.

 (ii) Two 2-year standard bioassay animal studies that test for common
types of cancer, using methodologies such as those of the US National
Toxicology Program and exposures to ELF fields that include transients
(described in (i) above).

 (iii) To test specifically for breast cancer, there is a need for one
2-year standard bioassay animal study, similar to that described in (ii)
above, using sinusoidal 50/60 Hz fields and two such studies using
transient-perturbed fields.

 (iv) Epidemiologists and physical scientists should collaborate to refine
their methodologies and assessment of past and present exposure to 50/60
Hz fields and transients. This should be followed by pilot studies that
test and validate these refinements.  Two further large, multi-centred
epidemiological studies of childhood leukemia are then needed that use
the best available methods of exposure assessment, including assessments
of transient and higher frequency harmonic fields.

 (v) Large epidemiological studies are also needed to investigate possible
associations between breast cancer or neurodegenerative diseases and
exposure to 50/60 Hz fields. These studies should preferably be conducted
on highly exposed occupational groups using the best available methods of
exposure assessment.

 (vi) Human volunteer studies are needed to determine whether ELF fields
affect certain hormone levels (eg melatonin).  These studies should
extend the experimental exposures beyond the one night used in past
experiments and also test both sexes. These populations might include
those exposed at home. It is important that these studies test for
effects caused by transients and other perturbed fields. If results of
current studies of people claiming hypersensitivity ELF fields are
confirmed, particularly through studies of their response to fields
applied in controlled laboratory situations, these reports should be
investigated to determine what, if any, further research is needed.

 (vii) Cell and tissue culture studies normally have a lower priority than
animal or human studies in health risk assessment. However, such studies
can be of assistance if they are directly relevant to possible effects
found in animals or humans, and address the issues of ELF field exposure
thresholds and reproducibility for reported positive effects on cell
cycle kinetics, proliferation, gene expression, signal transduction
pathways and membrane changes. Theoretical modelling investigations can
be useful if they are attempt to explain mechanisms of action of ELF
fields from effects that have been confirmed.

...[Bravo!!!  Overall grade of B+ in the above.  For the sake of millions
of victims (and future victims) worldwide ... let's hope that the above
agenda will be carried out honestly and soon!!  Five years is too long
to postpone action on this serious public health threat.  Remember, we
are already facing a time-lag (due to the latency of the illnesses) of
3-10 years ... PLUS the fact that during that time, our exposure to EMF
worldwide will continue to grow at near exponential rates......guru]

Cheerio..........

Roy Beavers (EMFguru)




Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html