Jack Rowley, director of research & sustainability, GSM Association, London
There is still no evidence of health risk from exposure to wireless networks
I refer to the letter Mobile Base Stations And Health, and wish to clarify some points. The GSM Association understands that people may be concerned by claims of possible risks, however, such claims are based on selective reviews of existing research and do not present a balanced analysis considering the relative scientific quality of different studies.
The BioInitiative report has been criticised for lack of scientific rigour by the Danish government's Sundhedsstyrelsens (National Board of Health) and the German Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS - Federal Office for Radiation Protection). The Dutch Health Council specialist committee on electromagnetic fields also reviewed the BioInitiative report and concluded:
"In view of the way the BioInitiative report was compiled, the selective use of scientific data and the other shortcomings mentioned above, the committee concludes that the BioInitiative report is not an objective and balanced reflection of the current state of scientific knowledge. Therefore, the report does not provide any grounds for revising the current views as to the risks of exposure to electromagnetic fields."
Unfortunately, the European Parliament committee was influenced too much by one unreliable source.
The European Commission continues to monitor this subject and has issued a report on implementation of the present safety standards on September 1. In March 2007, the Commission's scientific advisory committee concluded that no health hazard had been consistently demonstrated at exposure levels below the present standards but that research should continue. This committee has been asked to provide an updated opinion on the adequacy of those standards next month. There have been many independent scientific and public health authority reviews and the consensus position, as summarised by the World Health Organisation, is that current international recommendations incorporate large safety factors and are protective of all persons.
Specifically for wireless networks, WHO fact sheet 304 from May 2006 concluded: "Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects."
More details and links to many sources can be found at www.gsmworld.com/health
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Joseph Borg
Oct 27th 2008, 21:51
Lets say these are dangerous and all, what would we do we go back to the era where we have no mobiles, no wireless systems no nothing? Do we live without mobiles nowadays? I don't belive so, so if we don't have repeaters how can we have mobiles as till now there is no other way or system. When you go and buy food from outside you don't know what they placed in it yet you eat it, so the same way with this mobile issue, we have to unfortunately risk it. I don't belive there is one of you complaining here who wants to stay without his mobile. As a fact they said that there is more damage with the mobile phone itself rather than the repeater yet we use it. I'm concerned about my health just as you but i don't think we have to ban mobiles just because we don't know anything yet about the harms.
Patrick Pace
Oct 27th 2008, 15:21
The entire issue is about money with those people making the money saying that there is no health risk! While the unfortunate people having Antennae forced right upon our children's heads are asking for the precautionary approach which other countries have provided unlike here where they can go up without permit. We don't want to taking any risks with our children's health.
How do you expect me to take the advise of anyone that has anything to do with a mobile phone company! That would be like asking a tobacco company for advise on lung cancer.
The source material from the WHO you allude to is for short-term heating irradiation of adults only. It is not – and never has been – for lifetime microwave irradiation of adults or children. In fact, they have no research at all on any sort of safety level for children or infants – because there isn’t one.
anthony vella
Oct 27th 2008, 13:39
It seems that people who live very close to these mobile base stations are not happy at all with the possibility of health risks hanging over their head. Who will be held responsible for any health problems, the owner on whose roof there is the antenna, the company owning the base station antenna?
l Galea
Oct 27th 2008, 12:52
Jack Rowley says that there is still no evidence.
The same can be said about thalidomide, asbestos and other materials before the evidence manifested itself so disastrously to those affected.
If Jack is so convinced, why doesn't he tell the local mobile operators to publish what power they use, antenna patterns and gain, whether they use beam tilt and if so by how many degrees so that INDEPENDENT analysis can be made?
Why are they hiding this information?
What do they have to hide?
Why was there need for the GSM Association to write regarding the situation in Malta?
Are the local mobile operators not competent enough to answer themselves and they needed daddy's help just to make it look better?
After all, what would you expect from someone EMPLOYED by the GSM Association?
M Xerri
Oct 27th 2008, 12:48
Well said Mr Borg! Couldn't have said it better...it's a case of looking at the same glass of water, some see it half full while others see it half empty. Well I would prefer to be cautious but it seems others are more concerned about wealth rather than health!
J. Borg
Oct 27th 2008, 10:29
in other words this means that
'there is NO evidence that such exposure DOES NOT entail health risk'
so in the meantime, organsiations with vested interest assume it is OK to leave things as is.
If eventually the risks are confirmed - I'm sure Mr. Rowley will not be the first one to sign open cheques to compensate for the unquantifiable damage that such exposure would have left!