Ronald Melnick PhD 

New Global Framework for the Protection of Human Health and the Environment from Wireless RF Radiation

In this video, Ron Melnick, PhD, chairperson of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) explains why existing safety standards for wireless radiofrequency (RF) radiation are outdated. 

Melnick led the design of landmark studies at the National Toxicology Program that found links between cell phone RF radiation exposure and cancer in animals, yet regulatory agencies never acted on the findings. He has served on numerous scientific review boards and was a member of the scientific working group of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer evaluation of cell phone and wireless RF.

Melnick emphasizes that current radiofrequency (RF) exposure limits, set in the 1990s and reaffirmed in 2020, are outdated and based only on short-term animal tests that ignored long-term and non-thermal effects.

Research on cell phone radiation and cell tower health effects over the past 25 years has linked RF exposure to cancer, neurotoxicity, sperm damage, and genetic changes at levels below existing safety thresholds. He calls for stronger evidence-based regulations, precautionary measures for vulnerable groups, safer wireless technologies, environmental assessments, and delaying 5G deployment until proper health studies are completed.

Vimeo Link, PDF of powerpoint slides

 

 

 

References

International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF), (2022). Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environ Health. Oct 18;21(1):92.  

Melnick, R. (2020). Regarding ICNIRP’S Evaluation of the National Toxicology Program’s Carcinogenicity Studies on Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields. Health Physics, 118(6), 678–682. 

Melnick, R. L. (2019). Commentary on the utility of the National Toxicology Program study on cell phone radiofrequency radiation data for assessing human health risks despite unfounded criticisms aimed at minimizing the findings of adverse health effects. Environmental Research, 168, 1–6.

Transcript from video on Global Framework

Hello, I’m Ron Melnick, the current chairperson of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which is also known as ICBE-EMF.

My work on radio frequency radiation began while I was a toxicologist in the National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the Institutes of the National Institutes of Health. While there, I led the design of the NTP studies on the health effects of cell phone radiation in experimental animals.

It was the FDA—the federal agency that provides scientific input to the FCC on health effects of emissions from wireless devices—that nominated cell phone radiation to the NTP. The FDA was concerned that existing exposure limits were based only on protection from acute injury caused by radio frequency radiation, and that they might not be protective against non-thermal effects from chronic exposures.

Among the several adverse effects observed in the NTP study was the finding of carcinogenicity in rats. Yet, for reasons that remain unclear, the FDA never acted on the results from the studies they had themselves requested.

In 2011, I was an invited participant in the evaluation of radio frequency radiation by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization. Based largely on human studies, IARC classified radio frequency radiation as a possible human carcinogen. Had the animal data been available at that time, the classification would likely have been raised to probable human carcinogen.

One of the first activities of our organization, ICBE-EMF, was to examine the basis for exposure limits to radio frequency radiation established by ICNIRP for most countries and by the FCC in the United States. These limits, first set in the 1990s for short-term and chronic exposures, were reaffirmed in 2020. However, we reported that these exposure limits were based on unstated assumptions of safety that lacked validity.

For example, those limits were derived from short-term studies in the 1980s, in which small numbers of monkeys and rats were exposed to various levels of RF radiation for an hour or less, and evaluated for only a single behavioral effect. Clearly, these limits do not address the consequences of long-term exposures, nor the wide range of adverse effects reported over the past 25 years at exposure levels below those thresholds. These effects include carcinogenicity, sperm damage, heart disease, neurotoxicity, and genetic alterations.

In addition, the methods used to set these RF exposure limits did not follow the established health-protective frameworks public health agencies have applied for decades to hazardous agents. Clearly, an evidence-based framework for protecting human health and the environment from radio frequency radiation is needed.

First, risk assessments and exposure limits should be developed in a way consistent with how other hazardous environmental agents are regulated. Risk determination must also take into account differences in sensitivity and susceptibility, such as for children, whose developing organs are more vulnerable to environmental hazards.

Second, until new protective limits are established, precautionary measures must be implemented. Health agencies should inform the public of potential risks from radio frequency radiation and promote exposure reduction strategies. Setback distances should be established between cell phone base stations and high-risk areas like schools, residences, and hospitals. Radiation-free or low-radiation zones should be provided in public places for pregnant women, children, and hypersensitive individuals.

Third, manufacturers of wireless devices should be required to develop and implement existing technologies that reduce emissions to users.

Fourth, environmental impact assessments should be completed before installing new base stations or cell towers.

And lastly, the deployment of 5G antennas and future wireless devices near residences or public spaces should be delayed until adequate health studies are completed, risks are assessed, and health-protective exposure limits are established.