Monday, April 13, 2015
California Medical Association Calls for Stronger Wireless Communication Safety Standards
The California Medical Association (CMA) adopted a resolution that calls for re-evaluation of the safety standards for wireless communications in the U.S.
The Federal safety standards for wireless communications were designed to protect humans from the heating, or thermal, risks caused by exposure to microwave radiation. However, thousands of peer-reviewed studies have found bio-effects from exposure to low intensity, non-thermal levels of microwave radiation. Moreover, three independent, case-control studies have found a two-fold increased risk of brain cancer among adults who have used cell phones for ten or more years. And one study found a three-fold risk of brain cancer after 25 years of cell phone and cordless phone use.
In 2011, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer declared that radio frequency energy is "possibly carcinogenic to humans", largely based upon the cell phone research.
The CMA’s “Wireless Communications Public Safety Standards Reevaluation” resolution “supports efforts to reevaluate microwave safety exposure levels associated with wireless communication devices, including consideration of adverse non-thermal biologic and health effects from non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation used in wireless communications.” In addition, the CMA “supports efforts to implement new safety exposure limits for wireless devices to levels that do not cause human or environmental harm based on scientific research.”
The CMA House of Delegates and Board of Trustees adopted the resolution, number 107-14, on December 7, 2014. Cindy Lee Russell, M.D. introduced the resolution which she co-authored along with Ken Yew, M.D.
According to Dr. Russell:
"Physicians and scientists have recognized for years the dangers of ionizing radiation from x rays and nuclear weapons. Tissue is directly damaged causing cancer and a wide range of other health effects. The non ionizing microwave radiation from wi fi routers, ipads, cell phones and cell towers has been thought to be harmless until the last few decades as a rapidly growing body of peer reviewed research has shown very troubling biological and health effects from even low levels of exposure. The studies have shown negative effects on cell structures, brain function, animals, and plants. Many experts feel this is a looming public health problem as the use of wireless technology swiftly rises in our homes, offices and schools. EMF standards need to be reevalauted and designed for safety based on the biologic effects on living structures not on heat as is now currently being done."
In August, 2013, the American Academy of Pediatrics, a professional organization representing 60,000 physicians, sent a letter to the FCC and the FDA urging the FCC to adopt radiation standards that:
"Protect children’s health and well-being ... Current FCC standards do not account for the unique vulnerability and use patterns specific to pregnant women and children. It is essential that any new standard for cell phones or other wireless devices be based on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to ensure they are safeguarded throughout their lifetimes.
Reflect current use patterns. The FCC has not assessed the standard for cell phone radiation since 1996 ... Many children, adolescents and young adults, now use cell phones as their only phone line and they begin using wireless phones at much younger ages. Pregnant women may carry their phones for many hours per day in a pocket that keeps the phone close to their uterus. Children born today will experience a longer period of exposure to radio-frequency fields from cellular phone use than will adults, because they start using cellular phones at earlier ages and will have longer lifetime exposures. FCC regulations should reflect how people are using their phones today.
Provide meaningful consumer disclosure. The FCC has noted that it does not provide consumers with sufficient information about the RF exposure profile of individual phones to allow consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. The current metric of RF exposure available to consumers, the Specific Absorption Rate, is not an accurate predictor of actual exposure. AAP is supportive of FCC developing standards that provide consumers with the information they need to make informed choices in selecting mobile phone purchases, and to help parents to better understand any potential risks for their children. To that end, we support the use of metrics that are specific to the exposure children will experience." (http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7520941318 )
Four resolutions signed by scientific experts who have published research on wireless radiation and health in scientific journals were submitted to the FCC. The resolutions call on governments to issue stronger regulations on wireless radiation, especially cell phone radiation. The declarations were signed by 98 scientists. For more information, see “Why We Need Stronger Cell Phone Radiation Regulations--98 Scientific Experts Who Signed Resolutions at http://www.saferemr.com/2014/08/why-we-need-stronger-cell-phone_4.html.
Since 1997, twenty-two declarations have been signed by scientists and health professionals calling for stronger cell phone radiation regulations. For more information on these declarations, see http://www.magdahavas.com/international-experts-perspective-on-the-health-effects-of-electromagnetic-fields-emf-and-electromagnetic-radiation-emr/.
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Wireless Communications Safety Standards
California Medical Association (CMA) Resolution 107-14, Adopted December 7, 2014
Resolved 1: That CMA supports efforts to reevaluate microwave safety exposure levels associated with wireless communication devices, including consideration of adverse non-thermal biologic and health effects from non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation used in wireless communications; and be it further
Resolved 2: That CMA supports efforts to implement new safety exposure limits for wireless devices to levels that do not cause human or environmental harm based on scientific research.
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2014
Wireless Communications Public Safety Standards Reevaluation
Introduced by Cindy Lee Russell, M.D.
Authored by Cindy Lee Russell, M.D. Cindyleerussell@gmail.com and Ken Yew, M.D. ken_yew@yahoo.com
resolutions@cmanet.org
The CMA resolution (including 62 references) can be found on the Parents for Safe Technology web site.
