WiFi Fried my Brain! (Wireless Internet Health Risks)
There is quite a bit of flak flying about at the moment regarding WiFi and the potential health risks it may present. The Daily Telegraph and BBC’s Panorama suggest WiFi may have adverse health effects; with The Guardian labelling Panorama’s research as “grossly unscientific”.
Given the wide range of opinions on the subject, I thought I’d take a look at what the Health Protection Agency says.
The HPA responds to claims of electromagnetic hypersensitivity relating to WiFi thus.
…there is little scientific background to claims that mobile phone or WiFi (wireless fidelity) equipment is responsible. There is also little biological plausibility that high frequency electromagnetic radiation would have similar effects to low frequency sources, based on the known (and varying) physiological effects of various frequencies on the body.
The article then goes on to say.
Possible management strategies for GPs include symptomatic treatment and cognitive behavioural therapy.
Or in other words, psychotherapy.
Scientific studies into the Health Effects from Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields conducted by the HPA tell a similar story.
“The biological evidence suggests that RF fields do not cause mutation or initiate or promote tumour formation, and the epidemiological data overall do not suggest causal associations between exposures to RF fields, in particular from mobile phone use, and the risk of cancer. Exposure levels from living near to mobile phone base stations are extremely low, and the overall evidence indicates that they are unlikely to pose a risk to health”
OK, what about the article in the Independent which cites information from the eminent scientist Professor Olle Johansson?
Digging a little shows that Olle Johansson has the dubious honour of being awarded ‘The Misleader of the Year Award 2004′ by The Swedish Sceptics (Vetenskap och Folkbildning, VoF). VoF suggested that Johansson is.
“… one of the most prominent representatives of the far too many scientists who, to draw attention to themselves and funding for their own activities, disseminate worry among the public in mass media by presenting unsubstantiated hypotheses as established facts.”
VoF is somewhat damming of Johanssons findings.
“Olle Johansson uses vague, deceptive and suggestive language. This includes unclear use of concepts - one of his more confusing types of phrasings is the one which demands “proof of lack of danger”. Such proof never is possible.”
And outlines some of Johanssons prior research.
“A few years ago Johansson received particular attention after he claimed that brain damage, and specifically mad cow disease could be caused by the use of mobile phone”
Indeed….
I personally won’t be ripping out my wireless AP yet. I still use a mobile phone, and I have not yet started fashioning my tin foil hat.
*** Update 15 Jun 07 ***
When I first sat down to write this article I never realised that so many people would read it. It’s attracted quite a bit of argument (see the article comments) and has got me more interested in the subject than I was in the first place!
One thing I hadn’t noticed first off was that the World Health Organisation had already written about the health risks of the radiation emitted by WiFi devices. You can read that article here. At the end of the day you will have to make your own mind up about which argument you believe; but a comment from the WHO article puts it all into perspective for me.
“In fact, due to their lower frequency, at similar RF exposure levels, the body absorbs up to five times more of the signal from FM radio and television than from base stations. This is because the frequencies used in FM radio (around 100 MHz) and in TV broadcasting (around 300 to 400 MHz) are lower than those employed in mobile telephony (900 MHz and 1800 MHz) and because a person’s height makes the body an efficient receiving antenna. Further, radio and television broadcast stations have been in operation for the past 50 or more years without any adverse health consequence being established.”
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May 24th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I’m not familiar with the HPA, but I wouldn’t trust anyone who tells you that there is no risk from cell phones and wireless technology, because there is certainly tons of evidence that shows otherwise. There is too much money at stake for the industry for them to be honest with us.
Better to listen to Dr. George Carlo, who ran the $28 million research project for the cellular industry from 1993-99, then was dismissed after he found problems with genetic damage and brain tumors and then reported them. You can find out more about his studies at his non-profit website, http://www.safewireless.org
May 24th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Hi Stan,
The HPA is a highly respected organisation:
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The Agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur.
We also prepare for new and emerging threats, such as a bio-terrorist attack or virulent new strain of disease.
I have done a little of my own research too.
Take a look at this info. There are always two sides to every story:
CTIA Against the Media
Betsy Harter
Aug 1, 1999 12:00 PM
CTIA and the media both are industry watchdogs, but they are blasting one another over the latest cancer scare.
In 1993, CTIA committed $25 million over five years to support research on the effects of RF exposure. Wireless Technology Research (WTR), an independent research organization, administered the funds to universities, scientists and independent research laboratories, which carried out various research projects. Scientists and wireless industry representatives recently convened at WTR’s Second State of the Science Colloquium to hear the program’s results.
But before results were even announced, headlines such as “Cancer Scare for Mobile Phone Users” appeared. In reality, WTR found no conclusive results. Other studies, including one by Dr. Lennart Hardell on the use of mobile phones among persons with brain tumors, have been inconclusive as well.
Jo-Anne Basile, CTIA vice president for external and industry relations, said the press reported that Hardell’s study found a statistically significant increase in cancer risk, even though Hardell himself admits he found no conclusive evidence.
“(It is) just an indication in our study that there might be a problem. It needs to be confirmed in larger studies and also evaluated in context with results in other studies,” Hardell said.
Basile said a huge difference exists between the media’s interpretation of these reports and their actual results.
“It is important for this information not to be debated through venues like various press activities as opposed to waiting for the work to be peer reviewed and published,” she said. “These are not insignificant topics, and it is unfair to throw bits and pieces that can be taken out of context.”
Some journalists claim that WTR told them there was a definite link between wireless phones and cancer in order to justify more money for ongoing research. According to Microwave News, Dr. George Carlo, WTR chairman, told it WTR found links between cellular phone use and brain cancer, and he wanted it to do a major story.
“We nearly did — until we talked with the study’s principal investigator,” the publication reported. “Just as WTR’s bank account starts to run dry, Carlo has started to say there might be something to cell-phone worries after all. Pardon our cynicism, but we’ve wondered if the two might be connected.”"
Looks like many scientists are jumping on the EMR bandwagon for the cash incentives rather than the science…..
As for the tons of evidence, I’m a little bit suspicious as I was unable to find reputable evidence showing links between wireless and ill health.
You’re not really asking us to believe that the mainstream scientists have all been paid for their silence and only the fringe element are telling the truth are you?
Black helicopters circle over head silently…..
May 26th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
There’s more to the George Carlo story than you think.
Dr. Carlo did find significant health effects while doing research for the WTR, including genetic damage to brain cells. When he insisted on reporting his findings to the media, his funding was cut off. The industry made several attempts to keep him quiet. They made offers of a lucrative, life-time position within the industry, as long as he didn’t make waves. He refused. They then atempted to discredit him. He persisted. His home was burned down by unkown arsonists. He persisted. Today, he is continuing to spread the word on his own. He has little or no financial incentive to do this - he could have stayed with the industry for much more money. I have met Dr. Carlo personally and know that his integrity is without question. He has literally risked his career, and his life, by taking on the cellular industry. The complete story is told in his book, “Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age.” Dr. Carlo is not in this for the money.
The industry has controlled the research from day one. If you want funding, they are the only ones who have money for it, and they won’t give funding to researchers who report troublesome findings.
Showing definitive scientific proof of the harm from wireless is difficult; health effects can take 10 years or more to appear, much like asbestos exposure or tobacco. On the other hand, there is no definitive proof that wireless is harmless, either. There have never been any definitive tests that show that wireless is safe. It is easy to design a study that will guarantee to find no risk. The recent Danish Cancer registry study is an excellent example. Those researchers, who were on the industry payroll, deliberately structured their study to find no risk. This is the kind of misleading information that the industry spreads around.
In the end, we are all the guinea pigs. I, for one, am chosing to protect myself now, rather than waiting until the government does something. And the industry? They are primarily concerned about profits. Look at the recent verdict against the drug OxyContin. Purdue Frederick, the drug maker, didn’t care what harm they were doing. By the time the drug was pulled off the market and they paid a $635 million penalty, they had sold $9.6 BILLION worth of product.
Profit is their No. 1 priority.
May 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Oh, and yes, I am asking you to question everything that the mainstream tells you. If you want to find out more about the reliability of the information you get through the media, you need to read the book, “Trust Us, We’re Experts!,” by Ramptom and Stauber. You’ll have more respect for the opinions of the “fringe element” and will realize that you can’t believe ANYTHING you get through conventional media channels.
May 26th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Hi Stan,
The reason I chose research by the HPA (Health Protection Agency) is because they are a non-departmental public body largely funded by the British government, and hence not easily influenced by ‘the industry’.
Think about it - the likelihood of the British government bending over and sacrificing the health and well-being of hundreds and thousands of its citizens just to earn a few quid is pretty ludicrous. When they were found out there would be revolt on a grand scale!
I’m quite aware that we’re exposed all day, every day to radiation across the entire spectrum.
Microwaved yourself a meal lately? You just exposed yourself to the same kind of radiation that a WiFi access point produces. Used a mobile phone? You just exposed yourself to the same radiation but highly intensified!
I tried to find what respected independent studies had taken place and reported the results. You come here telling me to believe you but offering no firm evidence… I’m sorry - I’m not going to blindly have faith in you.
June 1st, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Well, over here in the USA, the government sacrifices our health for the sake of profit as a regular policy! It may not be as bad over in the UK, but I’m sure it’s much bigger than you think. I recommend you get a copy of the book I suggested, Trust Us, We’re Experts. You will discover how government and industry spins the truth for their own benefit. I’m afraid that there are indeed a lot of people in power who don’t care one bit about the public health if it affects their profit margin. It seems as if you are trying to be objective, but the information you’re going by is suspect. And I think it’s scary that people trust their government to have citizens’ interests first.
It’s true that wireless phones are just one source of the problem. All electrical devices and power lines are hazards. That’s no reason to doubt their harm. Have you noticed that cancer is the number one killer now? And when you get it, they can’t tell you how it happened, most of the time. It’s true that there’s no “proof” that wireless is harmful - but there is also no “proof” that it is safe!!! They are only going by “conventional wisdom,” but conventional wisdom has been wrong many times in the past. Conventional wisdom told us once that cigarettes were healthy and margarine was good for you!
For more information on the wireless problem, here’s a website yo can investigate: http://www.mast-victims.org
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:20 am
Oh - about your assertion that the government wouldn’t sell out your health “just to earn a few quid”?” I’ve heard that the British government received 22.5 BILLION pounds from selling wireless licences , and the tax alone from phone companies is now worth over a billion pounds per year. We’re not talking “just a few quid.”
June 7th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Deleted as requested by user
June 7th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Leona, I do hope you’re kidding!!!
I bought a new pair of pants yesterday. When I put them on, and walked across the street I was hit by a car. I’ve never been hit by a car before… It must be the new pants…
June 7th, 2007 at 10:54 am
stan,
WiFi is on the unlicensed spectrum…. What the heck are you on about man!
You’re talking about 3G licensing…. Totally different thing.
I’ve got to stop typing now - the government keeps stealing my brain waves.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Please remove this rubish written under my name (Leona Jeklova). I have not written this. Many thanks. LJ
September 8th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
That’s been done for you
December 24th, 2007 at 6:15 am
“The reason I chose research by the HPA (Health Protection Agency) is because they are a non-departmental public body largely funded by the British government, and hence not easily influenced by ‘the industry’.
Think about it - the likelihood of the British government bending over and sacrificing the health and well-being of hundreds and thousands of its citizens just to earn a few quid is pretty ludicrous. When they were found out there would be revolt on a grand scale!”
Chris, this is an unbeleivably naive viewpoint. The British government received 22 BILLION from the last mobile phone contract. They are more influenced by industry than anybody.
Btw, the revolt is happening! Just look at how many mobile phone mast and electrosensitivity campaign groups there are worldwide.
December 24th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Hi there,
I just find it really hard to believe that the World Health Organisation and the public protection agencies of both the British and US governments are deliberately sacrificing the population for cash.
Take smoking for example.
I believe that tax on smoking generates around £10 billion GBP a year (or nearly 20 billion USD!) in the UK. The cost of treating smoking related diseases however amount to a couple of billion GBP a year. Despite this massive cash cow, the government actively persecutes smokers. It launched a smoking ban in public places back in July, it spends millions on advertising, health programmes and promotion in supporting its strong stance against smoking.
If the government won’t comprimise public safety for £10 billion GBP a year, then why whould it sacrifice its people for a one of payment of £20 billion GBP?
That doesn’t make sense mate…
February 21st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I have problems from cell phone usage, nausea, dizzy,light headed, sharp cutting pain in my face,pain in the sides of head neck, right hand shakes and inside my body has a shakiness. my head feels thick like coming off na alcohol drunk and my Dr says my lower left lobe of my Brain is dead and they have no clue how or why, well for several yrs I always talked/ used phone on the left side of my head and one day I just became sick and got worse and I have suffered since 1999 with this and it has changed my life as well it may have shortened it also, not to mention the fear of not knowing why, what and how to fix it, Charles Meckna roofingjob@hotmail.com