Subject: Snake oil and "protective" EMF devices....(Maisch)
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 084758 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To: emfguru <rbeavers@llion.org>
--------------------------------------------------
Hi everybody:
.....In this message from Don Maisch, I believe we are getting a glimpse
of a serious problem (ancillary to EMF, itself) to which we will want to
give much more attention in the future...
......For our "non American" audience, 'snake oil' refers to the name
given to the "oils" and "medicines" that were peddled by traveling
salesmen in the American west. Consisting mostly of alcohol, they were by
all historical references of no medicinal value whatsoever, but many a
fast talking peddler made a pretty good living by aggressively "pushing"
his product. (If you have ever seen the movie, "Oklahoma," you have
seen the epitome of the genre.) In the beginning, the sales success
for these medicine peddlers relied mainly on frightening frontier
customers into 'worry' about what they would do if they were ever "snake
bit."
So, like some of the devices Don is referring to below, the western
settlers paid their dollar and put the bottle of "snake oil" on the shelf,
where it would sit, until the buyer ultimately remembered that it could
have some use -- as a whiskey alternative..... If they ever actually
did get bitten by a snake, most regarded whiskey as the better
alternative, anyway!!....
The items Don is discussing below may not have even that salvation....
Cheerio.....
Roy Beavers (EMFguru)......
rbeavers@llion.org.......
.....It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.....
EMF-L web-site can be found at:
EMF-L archives can be found at:
..................PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROFITS..................
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 17:59:27 +1000
From: Don Maisch
To: rbeavers@mail.llion.org
Subject: Snake oil and "protective" EMF devices (please put up for
discussion)
Dear Roy
I have been directly involved in the EMF/EMR health effects issue for
about 6 years now and have been observing, with growing concern, the rapid
growth of an "industry" that is producing all kinds of what I would
consider to be very dubious devices, all based on science that is best
described as something out of an old Star Trek movie.
The selling of protective devices is rapidly growing 'industry' not only
in Australia but in all countries where concerns are being raised as to
possible health effects from electromagnetic radiation. As a result, there
are increasing concerns being raised from serious researchers that this
'industry' is counter-productive to honest research and casts the whole
science of bio-electromagnetics into disrepute. It also serves to diminish
public concerns as to possible health hazards. For instance why be
concerned about the mobile phone transmittee tower next to your home when
simply by purchasing a "Bio-XXXX" your entire family is protected. The
company that markets Bioxxxx first points out in its marketing material
what the possible exposure hazards are, then goes right into the following
sales pitch [with my comments added]:
"As you can see, it is almost impossible to avoid the effects from EMFs.
The only effective way to negate the effects of EMFs on the body is to
generate a field that the body responds to instead of the 50-60Hz EMF
fields.
[The "only effective way" should be first identifying and then reducing, or
eliminating any excessive EMF exposure, if found. When sources of exposure
are identified it is usually possible to avoid those exposures without
needing to resort to purchasing a protective device, which is usually quite
expensive.]
The Bioxxxx is an effective device which generates a 8Hz field (naturally
occurring earth frequency) which allows the immune system to return to
normal, thus negating the effects of EMFs, allowing energy levels to
normalise and EMF radiation symptoms to disappear.
[ There is no research that I have ever seen that indicates that an 8 Hz
frequency will allow the immune system to "return to normal". This claim
must also cover high level "EMF radiation symptoms" since no limits are
stated.]
The Bioxxxx is designed to protect human beings and animals from the
negative effects of man-made electromagnetic fields (EMF's).
[ Again, no limitations are given]
The Bioxxxx works on our body systems at cellular level. There is no need
to track down individual sources of EMF's and arrange alternative screening
for all appliances.
[Great news for the bioxxxx sellers: they do not have to know how to
conduct a proper EMF audit or even bother to take EMF measurements. Just
sell a bioxxxx.]
Just plug the Bioxxxx into a socket, central to the area to be protected,
and leave going. This will ensure a healthier, happier and safer
environment to live or work in. [It] Helps reduce stress levels ,Work
attendance records may improve. Promotes a calm and relaxed atmosphere.
Computer and appliance users concentration improved. Personal energy levels
increase. Reduces effects on body from fluorescents, fax machines,
photocopiers, computers, TVs, powerlines, cellphones etc. Reduces geopathic
stress. etc."
[ Where is the body of research that verifys all these fantactic claims,
perhaps still buried under the Pyramids?]
At the Tenth International Montreux Congress on Stress, held in
Switzerland from February 28 to March 5, 1999, the issue of 'protective
devices' was specifically examined. This Congress featured papers from some
of the world's leading Bioelectromagnetic researchers as well as
researchers in the clinical applications of "electromedicine".
Presentations were given on holistic medicine, alternative, complementary
and other non-traditional approaches to stress reduction by speakers from
all over the world.
To quote from the Congress:
"Our purpose has been to provide a more panoramic perspective of the vast
clinical potential of safe Bioelectromagnetic approaches for the detection,
diagnosis and treatment of disease, as well as the promotion and
enhancement of health. One of the major reasons that electromagnetic
therapies have not been more widely accepted, or are dismissed as quackery,
is the plethora of worthless products making extravagant claims based on
lavish testimonials that have no scientific basis or support. It is often
difficult for the public, and even doctors and health professionals, to
separate those that are authentic or may have potential merit, from others
promoted by well intentioned but misguided zealots, as well as charlatans,
who capitalise on placebo effects, and the lack of governmental
regulations. This Congress and its sponsors can provide the tools to make
such distinctions."
Even though there are a wide variety of EMF protective devices available
today, the worthless ones all have several things in commom: They neither
reduce nor remove electromagnetic fields; they do not have any working
limits; the science that they quote sounds more like something out of an
old Star Trek movie, and when you think about their claims, there are major
flaws in their rationale. One Australian example is something called a
Power Modulator, supposedly designed to cleanse homes and offices of
apparently any level of damaging EMFs simply by plugging into any
convenient power socket. The same company also markets the Power Tower,
which is supposed to cleanse properties and neighbourhoods from all RF/MW
transmitter sources. It is claimed that these devices utilise "universal"
energy from particles that travel faster than light.
Since a common feature of all these devices is that they have no operating
limits, then their claimed protective effect should also apply if one were
exposed to high levels of EMF/EMR. For example, standing directly in front
of the main Melbourne Airport radar beam. I wonder how many Power Tower
sellers would be willing to try this test?
The people who are marketing these products usually make no attempt to
identify and eliminate or reduce sources of excessive EMF exposure as they
seen to suggest their device will fix everything. One example of this I
found at the a cancer support society where the office personnel were sold
several Power Modulators and aluminium plates which were claimed would
protect them from the EMFs. My survey found very low fields throughout the
centre and I advised the office workers to sit further back from their
computers to significantly reduce their exposure to the monitor's
electromagnetic fields, advice not given by the modulator sellers.
HOWEVER in the kitchen was a situation where some of the kitchen staff were
inadvertently exposing themselves to 50 Hz magnetic field levels of around
160 mG for a sufficient amount of time to cause concern. Simply changing
their work practice reduced this to around 2 mG.
As the Montreaux Congress flyer briefly mentions, many medical
practitioners are swayed by the professional PR media marketing techniques
that are increasingly being used to market so called protective devices. We
see similar media marketing techniques now being employeed in Australia,
the USA, the UK and EC . It is apparent that professional PR techniques
are an important part of the promotion of this industry.
PR tactics also play an important part in telecommunications with a few
leading transnational PR firms playing a major role in protecting the
industry's interests internationally. The PR term for this is called
Environmental Crisis Management. This is done for whatever industry is
willing to pay their fee, including the tobacco industry and a host of
industrial polluters. As the name suggests, Public Relations is all about
shaping and managing public perceptions.
In the recently concluded meetings of the Standards Australia TE/7
Committee: Human Exposure To Radiofrequency Fields, which I was a member
of, a new PR term was being used by the industry representatives.
Reference was made to the need to "comfort" the community. This basically
means that community perceptions about "hypothetical" health hazards needs
to be managed in such a way to end their concerns.
The telecommunications industry, responding to the global proliferation of
media coverage of mobile phone health concerns and to Internet-savvy
activists, has created a worldwide information-sharing network to counter
negative publicity. The Wireless Industry Global Information Network, or
WIN, held its first meeting Dec. 10 of last year in London. The gathering
attracted 34 attendees, including people from nine industry trade
associations, 12 network operators and three manufacturers. In all,
Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom,
the United States, France, Italy, New Zealand and Norway were represented.
With $ billions at stake, and with the possible loss of public confidence
as claims of EMR health hazards are being more widely known, the industry
would welcome any product that claims to easily solve the EMF health
effects problem without their needing to take any corrective action. Such
products would serve to give "comfort" to the concerned public and
therefore dilute opposition.
This is not suggesting that there is any sort of a 'conspiracy' happening
here. It is simply that the increasing awareness of possible health hazards
from electromagnetic fields, and the controversy generated by this issue,
has opened up an area for opportunists to exploit the situation by offering
easy solutions to a very complex environmental issue. It is time that the
people who are marketing and advertising these products stop and think
about just who they are aiding?
_______________________________
EMFacts Consultancy
PO Box 96,
North Hobart, 7002
Tasmania, Australia
Phone: (03) 62430195
Fax: (03) 62430340
Email: emfacts@trump.net.au
ICQ: 30814841
Web: http://www.tassie.net.au/emfacts/
______________________________
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