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The Ministry of Communications & Information Technology of the Government of India has recently released a Report on EMF Radiation. Unlike the expert reports from virtually all of the public health organizations of the industrialized world, this report makes no attempt to take a weight of evidence approach to evaluate so called "positive" vs. negative studies. As a result, it recommends precautions that are not supported by any hard evidence. The comments in the following refer to quotes taken from specified page numbers in the report. The referenced quotes with page numbers are appended below. We have also critiqued a recent paper by a couple of Indian authors that took a similar approach of emphasizing discredited "positive studies: :
The overall approach of the Report on EMF Radiation is to list a lot of the alarmist studies (see P 19 - 25). However the report states that these studies are not conclusive (see quotes below from P 15, 17, 19, 25, 32). It even includes a brief quote from the World Health Organization (P 19). However, it fails to mention the extensive systematic expert reviews conducted by most of the world's public health organizations. Virtually all of these expert reviews have concluded that there is no evidence for adverse health effects from EMF. Other studies that have systematically reviewed the literature on specific issues such as DNA damage, brain blood barrier, etc. have concluded that the few "positive" studies in these areas were flawed. Most of the "positive" studies listed in the Indian report have already been examined by these expert groups and found to be of poor quality. Rigorous high quality studies have failed to find any adverse effects of EMF.
This report seems to suggest the Indians are physically different from other people, and that they may be more sensitive to EMF (see quotes from P 15, 33). This is nonsense. The report also notes that EMF levels from cellular base stations are "hundreds of times lower" than the established FCC and ICNIRP safety limits (see quote P 33). They recommend that the limit in India be reduced by 1/10. This will have no practical effect since all measured levels are already much lower than this. For cell phones, the report recommends sticking with the current US standard while asking manufacturers to include "safety warnings".
In short this report is recommends a wishy washy "precautionary" approach without any concrete evidence. It lists many discredited "positive" studies, without explaining the overwhelming preponderance of negative evidence.
Selected Quotes from Report on EMF Radiation
P 15: The effects of long term exposure to wireless technology including emissions from cell phones and whole body exposure to RF transmission from cell tower antenna is simply not known yet with certainty. Scientific studies as yet have not been able to confirm a cause-and-effect relationship. The research has not so far separated these symptoms from electromagnetic radiation hence all the above symptoms can also be attributed to stress.
P 15: Member Scientist, ICMR has indicated that the hot tropical climate of the country, low body mass index (BMI), low fat content of an average Indian as compared to European countries and high environmental concentration of radio frequency radiation may place Indians under risk of radio frequency radiation adverse effect.
P 17: However the committee notes that these studies were unable to find a direct link of exposure of EMF radiation to adverse effects on birds
P 19: World Health Organization (WHO) reported that "considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from cell phone towers and wireless networks cause adverse health effects". Mobile phones communicate by transmitting radio frequency waves are electromagnetic fields, and unlike ionizing radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays, cannot break chemical bonds nor cause ionization in the human body.
P 19: However a number of studies have reported the link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and occurrence of health disorder i.e. effect on cell growth, cell differentiation, DNA, immune system, hormonal effects, reproduction, neurological, cardiovascular systems, blood brain barrier, interference with gadgets, stress proteins, skin, sleep disorder etc. As these studies were not well designed and the number was not statistically significant, these observations have not been considered conclusive.
P 25: The committee notes that most of the laboratory studies were unable to find a direct link between exposure to RFR and the incidence of cancer. However, growing scientific evidences of bio effects and adverse health effects like DNA rearrangement in cells or chromosomal damage is reported. (Sarkar et al 199738; Sarkar and Selvamurthy 200160). Even the biological effects could not be established as caused by Radio Frequency Radiation, due to complex interaction of the different exposure parameters i.e. mass, shape and size of the body (age, gender, activity level, body insulation etc.) and the environmental conditions (ambient temperature, air velocity, humidity).
P 32: In absence of any conclusive scientific evidence of adverse effect of EMF radiation on human health, India is following the ICNIRP EMF standards.
P 33: The hot tropical climate of the country, low body mass index (BMI), low fat content of an average Indian as compared to European countries and high environmental concentration of radio frequency radiation may place Indians under high risk of radio frequency radiation adverse effect and the level of susceptibility of an average Indian may be different.
P 33: The field measurement under taken by the Cellular Operator Association of India in Metro cities like Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai have shown that the measured values are hundreds of time lower than that of the prescribe reference level. It is important that safety standards be rational and avoid excessive safety margins. To establish rational standards that will make future safer, the RF exposure limits in India may be lowered to 1/10th of the existing reference level.
P 43: Recommendations:
Adoption of SAR level for mobile handsets limited to 1.6 Watt/Kg, averaged over a 6 minutes period and taken over a volume containing a mass of 1 gram of human tissue as per the FCC norms of United States.
Base Stations
The RF exposure limits in India may be lowered to 1/10th of the existing level keeping in view the data submitted by COAI/ AUSPI during presentation made to the committee and trend adopted by other developed countries.
The overall approach of the Report on EMF Radiation is to list a lot of the alarmist studies (see P 19 - 25). However the report states that these studies are not conclusive (see quotes below from P 15, 17, 19, 25, 32). It even includes a brief quote from the World Health Organization (P 19). However, it fails to mention the extensive systematic expert reviews conducted by most of the world's public health organizations. Virtually all of these expert reviews have concluded that there is no evidence for adverse health effects from EMF. Other studies that have systematically reviewed the literature on specific issues such as DNA damage, brain blood barrier, etc. have concluded that the few "positive" studies in these areas were flawed. Most of the "positive" studies listed in the Indian report have already been examined by these expert groups and found to be of poor quality. Rigorous high quality studies have failed to find any adverse effects of EMF.
This report seems to suggest the Indians are physically different from other people, and that they may be more sensitive to EMF (see quotes from P 15, 33). This is nonsense. The report also notes that EMF levels from cellular base stations are "hundreds of times lower" than the established FCC and ICNIRP safety limits (see quote P 33). They recommend that the limit in India be reduced by 1/10. This will have no practical effect since all measured levels are already much lower than this. For cell phones, the report recommends sticking with the current US standard while asking manufacturers to include "safety warnings".
In short this report is recommends a wishy washy "precautionary" approach without any concrete evidence. It lists many discredited "positive" studies, without explaining the overwhelming preponderance of negative evidence.
Selected Quotes from Report on EMF Radiation
P 15: The effects of long term exposure to wireless technology including emissions from cell phones and whole body exposure to RF transmission from cell tower antenna is simply not known yet with certainty. Scientific studies as yet have not been able to confirm a cause-and-effect relationship. The research has not so far separated these symptoms from electromagnetic radiation hence all the above symptoms can also be attributed to stress.
P 15: Member Scientist, ICMR has indicated that the hot tropical climate of the country, low body mass index (BMI), low fat content of an average Indian as compared to European countries and high environmental concentration of radio frequency radiation may place Indians under risk of radio frequency radiation adverse effect.
P 17: However the committee notes that these studies were unable to find a direct link of exposure of EMF radiation to adverse effects on birds
P 19: World Health Organization (WHO) reported that "considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from cell phone towers and wireless networks cause adverse health effects". Mobile phones communicate by transmitting radio frequency waves are electromagnetic fields, and unlike ionizing radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays, cannot break chemical bonds nor cause ionization in the human body.
P 19: However a number of studies have reported the link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and occurrence of health disorder i.e. effect on cell growth, cell differentiation, DNA, immune system, hormonal effects, reproduction, neurological, cardiovascular systems, blood brain barrier, interference with gadgets, stress proteins, skin, sleep disorder etc. As these studies were not well designed and the number was not statistically significant, these observations have not been considered conclusive.
P 25: The committee notes that most of the laboratory studies were unable to find a direct link between exposure to RFR and the incidence of cancer. However, growing scientific evidences of bio effects and adverse health effects like DNA rearrangement in cells or chromosomal damage is reported. (Sarkar et al 199738; Sarkar and Selvamurthy 200160). Even the biological effects could not be established as caused by Radio Frequency Radiation, due to complex interaction of the different exposure parameters i.e. mass, shape and size of the body (age, gender, activity level, body insulation etc.) and the environmental conditions (ambient temperature, air velocity, humidity).
P 32: In absence of any conclusive scientific evidence of adverse effect of EMF radiation on human health, India is following the ICNIRP EMF standards.
P 33: The hot tropical climate of the country, low body mass index (BMI), low fat content of an average Indian as compared to European countries and high environmental concentration of radio frequency radiation may place Indians under high risk of radio frequency radiation adverse effect and the level of susceptibility of an average Indian may be different.
P 33: The field measurement under taken by the Cellular Operator Association of India in Metro cities like Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai have shown that the measured values are hundreds of time lower than that of the prescribe reference level. It is important that safety standards be rational and avoid excessive safety margins. To establish rational standards that will make future safer, the RF exposure limits in India may be lowered to 1/10th of the existing reference level.
P 43: Recommendations:
Adoption of SAR level for mobile handsets limited to 1.6 Watt/Kg, averaged over a 6 minutes period and taken over a volume containing a mass of 1 gram of human tissue as per the FCC norms of United States.
Base Stations
The RF exposure limits in India may be lowered to 1/10th of the existing level keeping in view the data submitted by COAI/ AUSPI during presentation made to the committee and trend adopted by other developed countries.
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