Authored By:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Summary:

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a review examining the possible effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) on tumorigenesis.  The review examined 37 in vivo and 69 epidemiological papers published between 2008 and 2018 and also reviewed the National Toxicology Program (NTP) 2018 reports on RF exposure to rats and mice. The review concluded that, based on the evidence from the in vivo studies, including the NTP study, that there is no clear evidence that RF EMF has any effect on tumorigenesis. The review also reported a number of limitations from the in vivo studies including lack of animal temperature assessment and issues with the methods, sample handling and sample evaluation. The review further states that due to the limitations of the in vivo studies they cannot be used to draw conclusions on the impact of low powered RF EMF on humans. Further, the review discussed some of the inherent limitations in epidemiological studies including accurate exposure assessment and recall bias. Based on the epidemiological evidence the FDA review concluded there was no causal association between RF EMF exposure and tumorigenesis. 

Published In:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020
Commentary by ARPANSA:

This review by the FDA contributes to our understanding of the evidence of RF EMF exposure and health. It demonstrates the importance of considering the totality of evidence and understanding that methodological limitations affect the outcomes of scientific reviews. The timing of this review is particular topical as there is currently some heightened public concern regarding RF EMF and health with a particular focus on the roll out of the 5G telecommunications network. Other health agencies such as the World Health Organisation and the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection have previously considered the possible health effects of RF EMF exposure and have reached conclusions similar to those in the FDA review. In Australia, the ARPANSA RF exposure standard sets limits to protect the public and workers from any harmful exposure to RF EMF. This standard is based on scientific research that shows the levels at which harmful effects occur and it sets limits, based on international guidelines, well below these harmful levels. The standard is designed to protect people of all ages and health status against all known adverse health effects from exposure to RF EMF.

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