Workgroup Report: Base Stations and Wireless Networks—Radiofrequency (RF) Exposures and Health Consequences

Radiofrequency (RF) waves have long been used for different types of information exchange via the airwaves—wireless Morse code, radio, television, and wireless telephony (i.e., construction and operation of telephones or telephonic systems). Increasingly larger numbers of people rely on mobile telephone technology, and health concerns about the associated RF exposure have been raised, particularly because the mobile phone handset operates in close proximity to the human body, and also because large numbers of base station antennas are required to provide widespread availability of service to large populations. The World Health Organization convened an expert workshop to discuss the current state of cellular-telephone health issues, and this article brings together several of the key points that were addressed. The possibility of RF health effects has been investigated in epidemiology studies of cellular telephone users and workers in RF occupations, in experiments with animals exposed to cell-phone RF, and via biophysical consideration of cell-phone RF electric-field intensity and the effect of RF modulation schemes. As summarized here, these separate avenues of scientific investigation provide little support for adverse health effects arising from RF exposure at levels below current international standards. Moreover, radio and television broadcast waves have exposed populations to RF for > 50 years with little evidence of deleterious health consequences. Despite unavoidable uncertainty, current scientific data are consistent with the conclusion that public exposures to permissible RF levels from mobile telephony and base stations are not likely to adversely affect human health

Albinism in Africa as a public health issue

Abstract Background Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically inherited autosomal recessive condition and OCA2, tyrosine-positive albinism, is the most prevalent type found throughout Africa. Due to the lack of melanin, people with albinism are more susceptible to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure. This population must deal with issues such as photophobia, decreased visual acuity, extreme sun sensitivity and skin cancer. People with albinism also face social discrimination as a result of their difference in appearance. The World Health Organization is currently investigating the issues concerning this vulnerable population. Methods Systematic electronic search of articles in PubMed concerning albinism in Africa. Furthermore, a World Health Organization (WHO) pilot survey of albinism was drafted in English, French and Portuguese, and distributed to African countries through WHO African Regional Offices (AFRO) in an attempt to gather further information on albinism. Results Epidemiologic data on albinism, such as prevalence, were available for South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Nigeria. Prevalences as high as 1 in 1,000 were reported for selected populations in Zimbabwe and other specific ethnic groups in Southern Africa. An overall estimate of albinism prevalences ranges from 1/5,000 – 1/15,000. In addition, both the literature review and the survey underscored the medical and social issues facing people with albinism. Conclusion The estimated prevalence of albinism suggests the existence of tens of thousands of people living with albinism in Africa. This finding reiterates the need for increased awareness of and public health interventions for albinism in order to better address the medical, psychological and social needs of this vulnerable population.</p

Children's health and RF EMF exposure

$\textbf{Aim}$ The report is reviewing and evaluating the current state of the scientific evidence of the effects of EMF exposure from cell phones and base stations on children’s health. Three main areas of children’s health were assessed: - Cancer (brain cancer and leukaemia) and health disturbances, - Effects on embryonic development, offspring, and blood-brain barrier investigated by animal research, - Effects on cognition and the central nervous system (CNS). Additionally, dosimetry issues were considered, i.e. whether children do absorb more power than adults when exposed to RF EMF. $\textbf{Procedure}$ The report is based on the scientific opinions of 7 international recognized experts and 4 advisory experts from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland as well as on a series of workshop discussion. An important criterion for the selection of the experts was that they have a strong record in EMF research, as documented by publications in internationally recognized and peer-reviewed academic journals. Advisory expert panelists supported the discussions of the expert opinions during the workshops. For their selection, it was not required that the scientific research of the advisory experts focuses specifically on the EMF field. Rather, the selection depended on their theoretical and methodological knowledge for the respective topic area to critically review the expert opinion reports. Subsequently, for all relevant endpoints evidence maps were constructed, i.e. graphical representations of the main arguments on which the conclusions are based as well as a description of the remaining uncertainties. The dialogue project was initiated in October 2007 and completed in August 2009. $\textbf{Results}$ Dosimetry For children under 8 years no conclusive evidence exists for the assumption that the SAR level in children’s head is higher than for adults. For whole body exposure, there is some evidence that the ICNIRP reference level cannot ensure that basic restrictions are not exceeded under any circumstances. This applies for children younger than 8 years at specific frequency bands, e.g. around 100 MHz and 1.8 GHz. However, even if further research would prove this it has to be taken into account that ICNIRP basic restrictions comprise large safety factors and real-world [...