Effects of RF Radiation on Human Health and Disease

1
Effects of RF Radiation on Human Health and
Disease

• Stephen K. Frankel, MD
• Assistant Professor of Medicine
• National Jewish Medical and Research Center
• University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

2
Introductory Remarks

• Credentials
• All studies have limitations.
• Prudence and public safety should take priority
  when making public policy decisions
• An absence of data does not equal negative data

3
Are there potential serious health risks
associated with locating wireless transmission
towers in residential areas?

• Long-term, low intensity exposures
• Biological plausibility
• Epidemiological evidence

4
Non-thermal biological effects of RF radiation
exist and occur at doses previously thought to be
safe. Thermal effects alone should not be
considered an acceptable readout of biological
effects in 2003.
5
Biological Plausibility

• DNA damage
• Generation of reactive oxygen species (free
  radicals)
• Calcium flux, membrane potential and ion channels
• Alterations of cell proliferation and
  transformation
• Heat shock proteins (markers of cell stress)
• Alterations in immunity
• Signal transduction effects

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Reported Health Effects

• Adult and childhood leukemia
• Brain cancer
• Infertility
• Altered immune function
• Neurological and developmental impairment

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Epidemiological Data Suggesting a Correlation
between low dose RF Radiation and Leukemia

• Italian Study Increased incidence of childhood
  leukemia (2.2 X) (2002)
• Australian Study Increased incidence of
  childhood leukemia (1.58) and mortality (2.32)
• Hawaiian Honolulu Study Increased incidence of
  leukemia (1.58 men, 1.45 women)
• British Study (Sutton-Coldfield) Increased risk
  of leukemia with increasing proximity to source

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RF and Cancer Occupational Data

• Savitz et. al. Leukemia and brain cancer in
  electrical utility workers
• Grayson et al. Air Force personnel and brain
  cancer risk.
• Kheifets et. al. Increased incidence of brain
  cancer in persons occupationally exposed to
  electric and magnetic fields

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CSU Lookout Mountain StudyBackground

• 1998 CDPHE study identified increased rates of
  brain cancer on Lookout Mountain
• 1999 CDPHE study reported a statistically
  significant increase in brain and CNS cancer.
• 2001 CSU awarded 713,000 NIH grant to study,
  Human Reponses to Residential RF Exposure in
  the Lookout Mountain residential community

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CSU Lookout Mountain StudyDesign

• 300 persons, including children.
• Careful exposure measurements
• Blood and urine collected for melatonin and other
  biomarkers of disease and carcinogenesis
• Informed consent and institutional oversight for
  protection of human subjects

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CSU Lookout Mountain StudyCurrent Status

• Study is still in the data collection phase
• Results will be released in the form of a
  peer-reviewed manuscript in late 2005 or 2006

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While the CDPHE study cannot be interpreted to
mean that exposures to radiofrequency emanating
from the antennas on Lookout Mountain necessarily
caused the brain cancers in each of these
persons, the data are sufficiently strong to
merit further investigation and to use care and
prudence in making decisions that might result in
any increase in radiofrequency radiation exposure
to the community.

• John S. Reif, DVM, MSc
• Professor of Epidemiology
• Chairman, Department of Environmental Health
• Colorado State University

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Infertility

• RF radiation induces irreversible infertility in
  mice-- Magras and Xenos, 1997
• Danish military personnel study shows that
  personnel exposed to RFR emitting radar systems
  have significantly lower sperm counts--Hjollund
  et. al., 1997

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Altered Immune Function

• Altered immune function plays a critical role in
  immune (tumor) surveillance, autoimmune diseases
  and allergic diseases.
• Boscolo, et. al. 2001. San Silvestri study
  showed abnormal reductions in lymphocyte
  populations in women with residential RF exposure
  to TV Broadcast Antennas

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Neurological and Developmental Impairment

• School children living in the area of the Skrunda
  radio location station had less developed memory
  and attention, slowed reaction time, and
  decreased neuromuscular endurance Kolodynski and
  Kolodynska, 1996
• People who lived and worked near radio antennae
  and radar installations showed deficits in
  psychological and short-term memory testsChiang,
  1989

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Conclusions

• There is a real and very concerning body of
  evidence suggesting that RF radiation at doses
  within FCC guidelines have biological
  significance and serious and harmful health
  consequences
• Until more definitive data can demonstrate the
  safety of locating such facilities in residential
  areas, it would be prudent to locate new such
  facilities away from residential populations