ID Number		991
Study Type		Epidemiology
Model		900, 1800 MHz (GSM) exposure to mobile phone users and residents near broadcast towers and correlation with cancer and other disease endpoints.
Details		Geographical correlation study of RF exposure from mobile phone handsets, base stations, and broadcast towers and various health endpoints. Average output power from mobile phone handsets was estimated for all Swedish counties based on power measurements in some counties and coverage maps for all counties. Possible correlations between average output power and different disease and health endpoints in Sweden as well as for health care costs in Norway and Denmark were evaluated. The authors conclude that more sparsely populated counties had higher average handset output power, higher general sickness rates, longer recovery times after operations and accidents, higher prevalence of hearing disabled and higher incidence of acoustic neuroma cancer. A significant trend-break in those health statistics was noticed at the end of 1997, the same year as the GSM 1800 MHz was rolled out in Sweden. The authors propose profound studies on the subject to be started. In similar studies, the density of FM radio broadcast towers was compared with the incidence of melanoma in 288 Swedish communities. Exposure-time-specific incidence was extracted from exposure and incidence data from USA and 3 different Scandinavian countries and compared with reported age-specific incidence rates of melanoma. A correlation was reported between melanoma incidence and the number of locally receivable FM transmitters. The exposure-time-specific incidence became almost identical for all 4 examined countries. Some cancer forms were found to correlate to melanoma while leukemia did not. The authors concluded that continuous disturbance of cell repair mechanisms by body-resonant electromagnetic fields seems to amplify the carcinogenic effects resulting from cell damage caused e.g. by UV-radiation (i.e., melanoma is associated with exposure to FM broadcasting). Further studies involving statistical modeling were performed to support the theory that an increase in skin cell damage (decreased skin cell repair) caused by a sudden increase in RF transmitters (mobile phones, broadcast towers, etc) could explain an increase in melanoma incidence in Sweden since 1957. A recent study also correlates loss of house sparrow populations with increasing RF emissions in the environment. A 2009 report, the authors examine various cancer and disease databases (National Health and Wlfare Board / SoS and Swedish Road Administration / VV) and conclude that several public health indicators have increased since 1997 when GSM 1800 MHz technology was introduced in Sweden. Among these disorders is lung cancer in older men, prostate cancer, skin melanoma in younger people, Alzheimer's mortality, traffic accident injuries, employee sick leave, brian tumors in older people, and newborns with heart problems. The authors speculate that some or all of these trends may be associated with proximity to mobile phone base stations. A subsequent report suggested the predominance of breast cancer and melanoma on the left side may be due to dominant sleeping on the right side and exposing the left side to environmental RF energy from AM/FM broadcast towers and mobile phone base stations without attenuation by the box springs and body. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Hallberg, Johansson and Horst 2014 (IEEE #5835): In 2002, a paper was published that highlighted the strong correlation noticed between melanoma incidence and the number of surrounding FM transmitters in the Nordic countries since 1955. In the report the development of future numbers of melanoma cases in Estonia were estimated since they got the FM broadcasting system rolled out not until 1992. Here, we report what happened since then in Estonia regarding melanoma cases per year. We also comment on the recent development in the Nordic countries, which is not very reassuring from a public health point of view. The last 10 years of melanoma incidence trends, increasing at an exponential rate, suggest that responsible authorities now need to consider possible influences also from other radiation sources in addition to UV radiation from the sun. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Damsik and Johansson 2010 (IEEE #6275): The purpose of the precautionary principle is that legal requirements are to be made to safeguard against the possible health risks that have not yet been scientifically established. That a risk is not established cannot, therefore, be used as an excuse for not applying the principle. Yet, that rationale is exactly what is happening in the case of the possible health risks from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). The scientists, representing both the World Health Organization and the European Commission, do not have at all the precautionary principle in mind when they report on health risks. Their starting point is instead to determine whether new research findings have been scientifically established and thus cannot be the basis for an amendment to the existing exposure limits. Uncertain indications of risk are ignored or played down. This approach is in conflict with European Union (EU) law, which requires that the degree of scientific uncertainty should be presented correctly. A thorough examination of the state of research shows many serious indications of possible health risks from exposure very far below existing limits for EMF. Case law, for other types of exposure, also shows that the precautionary principle can be applied on the basis of weaker evidence than that. Our investigation shows that the precautionary principle is not being used for its intended purpose in relation to exposure to EMF. The reason for this position is that decision-makers are being misled by inaccurate risk assessments. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Hallberg 2016 (IEEE #6431): BACKGROUND: In 2002, a strong association was highlighted between local melanoma incidence and the number of locally covering main Frequency Modulation (FM) transmitters in Sweden. This study investigated whether an association also exists between melanoma incidence and the average density of main FM transmitters in different European countries. METHODS: Twenty-three different European countries were asked to disclose the number of main transmitters used for the FM broadcasting band (87·5-108 MHz) in the respective country. Incidences of melanoma, breast cancer and all cancers together per country were correlated with their respective average density of transmitters per 10,000 km(2). FINDINGS: Both melanoma and breast cancer, as well as all cancers together, appear to be significantly associated with the density of main FM broadcasting transmitters in the European countries examined. INTERPRETATION: The findings present strong support to the earlier presented hypothesis that body-resonant broadcasting radiation emitted by horizontally polarized main FM transmitters has an immune-disturbing effect.
Findings		Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden - oerjan.hallberg@swipnet.se
Funding Agency		Cancer-och Allergifon-den, Sweden, Karolinska Institute, Help Foundation, Cancer and Allergy Foundation
Country		SWEDEN
References		Hallberg, O et al. Pathophysiol., (2010) 17:157-160 Hallberg, O et al. Pathophysiol, (2009) :- Hallberg, O Pathophysiology, (2007) :- Hallberg, O Eur J Cancer Prev, (2007) 16:71-76 Hallberg, O et al. European Biol Bioelectromagn (http://www.ebab.eu.com/dsp_abs.asp?s_aid=19&s_vol=1&s_iss=3), (2005) :- Hallberg, O Pathophysiology, (2005) 12:143-144 Hallberg, O et al. Electromag Biol Med, (2005) 24:1-8 Hallberg, O et al. J Aust Coll Nutr Env Med , (2004) 23:11-12 Hallberg, O et al. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, (2004) 23:229-239 Hallberg, O et al. European J Cancer Prev, (2004) 13:535-536 Hallberg, O et al. Med Sci Monit., (2004) 10:CR336-CR340 Hallberg, O et al. Arch Environ Health, (2002) 57:32-40 Hallberg, O et al. J. Australian College Nutrtr. Environ. Med.(ACNEM Journal), (2002) 21:3-8 Hallberg, O et al. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine., (2016) 35:103-105 Dämvik, M et al. Rev Environ Health., (2010) 25:325-333 Hallberg, O Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine., (2016) 35:343-347 Hallberg, O European journal of cancer prevention. , (2016) 25:357-360
Comments		This is a set of geographical correlation studies that is not presented very accurately. First, a lop-sided review of available literature is presented in each of the articles. Second, many technological advances and environmental changes have occured since 1960, not the least of which may be degradations in ozone resulting in higher UV radiation levels, especially in extreme Northern and Southern latitudes that might have also contributed to increased melanoma incidence in the last few decades. Differences between urban and rural extend past mobile phone average output power, and may also include other aspects of socio-economic status and available healthcare that could have also contributed to the rural v. urban findings in the mobile phone studies.