Subject:  Re NCI Release New Powerline Study (R)
Date:     Wed, 2 Jul 1997 225009 -0500 (CDT)
From:     jschultz <jschultz@idcnet.com>
To:       Multiple recipients of list <emf-l@mail.llion.org>
--------------------------------------------------

Emrall@aol.com wrote:

>     A new childhood leukemia/powerline study, to be published July 3rd in
The
> New England Journal of Medicine, rather than spelling the death knell to
EMF
> research that the editorial accompanying the study demands, acknowledges
in
> no less than four places, a statistically significant increase in acute
> lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children exposed to powerline magnetic
fields
> in excess of 3 mG.

   Wasn't it about a year ago that the New England Journal of Medicine
revealed to us that there was no indication that silicone breast
implants could rightly be implicated in the health problems experienced
by numerous women who had undergone silicone breast implant surgery?
When courts essentially rejected this claim of no fault and awarded
damages to plaintiffs, a representative of New England Journal expressed
outrage that, essentially, the position of this journal was not taken as
the final word in that matter. Those statements were documented in a
film made for Frontline by Jon Palfreman, who also produced the infamous
"Currents of Fear". Briefly, it is my view that the New England Journal
is not deserving of the status which it appears to demand for the simple
reason that its editorial position seems altogether too responsive to
political considerations and is clearly prepared to present the kinds of
half-truths and distortions commonly referred to as propaganda.
   Capsule reviews which mislead are quite commonly found in materials
of appeal to physicians as they are quite busy and tend to take these
things typically at face value. For an excellent example of such
sleight-of-pen red herring techniques IMO, see the compilation of
research critiques assembled by biologist Dr. John Moulder of the
Medical College of Wisconsin. This is distributed to physicians who
express an interest in the EMF/health issues. A casual glance at this
document will assure them that there is nothing of concern in any of the
research which would suggest health risks!
>
>     RESIDENTIAL EXPOSURE TO MAGNETIC FIELDS AND ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC
LEUKEMIA
> IN CHILDREN  is a positive study showing an increase in the development of
> ALL in children exposed to powerline magnetic fields, masquerading as a
> negative study as a result of the National Cancer Institute's negative
spin
> on the study's findings.  The National Cancer Institute's mantra of "EMF
> research should stop here" does a disservice to the public who look to it
for
> honest reporting of research findings, not slanted editorializing.

>     The authors have chosen to declare their findings negative when in
fact,
> the study shows a doubling of ALL in children exposed to 3 mG powerline
> magnetic fields.

   This is all very curious. Who funds the National Cancer Institute? As
Roy says, follow the money! When politics and medicine mix, the
resulting brew truly stinks. Remember that cancer treatment and research
represent a multi-billion dollar industry. In comparison, the well-being
of people is of little apparent concern and we've seen this demonstrated
with regularity across a broad spectrum of issues.


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