News

Webinar of the SEAWAVE project

Posted on Jan 3, 2024

The European SEAWAVE project aims to assess risks but also to characterize exposures and their evolutions with the deployment of new technologies as 5G.

The webinar on the SEAWAVE project held on the 15th of January 2024 will be an opportunity to learn about the recent results of the SEAWAVE project on exposure assessments and their analysis. The seminar will focus first on exposures induced by base station antennas. Various presentations will discuss and analyze frequency-selective measurements carried out in Europe, not only via spot measurement outside or inside buildings, but also while walking in commercial areas and in public places, during car journeys or on public transportation.

Participation in this webinar is free but requires prior registration. More information about the webinar and the way to participate, you can find here.

ICNIRP Commission 2024-2028

Posted on Dec 13, 2023

Every four years the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) elects its Commission members. Following a call for nominations extended to the IRPA national Societies, the IRPA Executive Council, and to national public radiation protection authorities and international radiation protection organizations (see news article from 7 August 2023), the election took place at the ICNIRP Annual General Meeting, 20-22 November 2023, Basel, Switzerland.

The ICNIRP Commission 2024-2028 as of July 2024 will be composed of the following scientists: Akimasa Hirata (Chair), Ken Karipidis (Vice-Chair), Young Hwan Ahn, Nigel Cridland, Frank de Vocht, Anke Huss, Ilko Ilev, Jens Kuhne, Ilkka Laakso, Isabelle Lagroye, Alberto Modenese and Gunnhild Oftedal.

For more information please see the ICNIRP homepage.

BioEM 2024 - Call for abstracts

Posted on Dec 4, 2023

BioEM 2024, the international conference on bioelectromagnetics, will be held in Chania, Crete, Greece, June 16-21, 2024.

The call for abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions has started now.

Please find more information on the BioEM 2024 homepage.

SCHEER - Public consultation on potential health effects of exposure to low frequencies

Posted on Nov 20, 2023

Following a request from the European Commission, the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) adopted the Preliminary Opinion on potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) - Update with regard to frequencies between 1Hz and 100 kHz.

This Opinion is now open for public consultation to get feedback from the scientific community and stakeholders. Interested stakeholders are invited to submit their comments on the scientific evidence online until 2nd January 2024.

For more details, please see the SCHEER website.

Erice course EMF and health

Posted on Nov 13, 2023

The 10th Course of the International School of Bioelectromagnetism “A. Chiabrera” will be held from April 6 to 12, 2024 in Erice, Italy. The Course, entitled “Electromagnetic fields and health – epidemiological approaches”, has been organized in collaboration with the BioEM Society and initiated as part of the collaboration with the European Cluster on EMF and Health (CLUE-H). It is focused on key aspects on this topic, such as exposure assessment and potential health effects, including exposure misclassification, biological interaction and mechanisms, risk perception, planetary health, evidence synthesis and guideline development.

Please find more information on the school website.

femu publication about human perception of electric fields

Posted on Oct 2, 2023

The journal Scientific Reports has published an article by femu and co-authors entitled: "The role of the DC component in human perception of AC–DC hybrid electric fields and a comparison with the AC component". The study was motivated by the newly introduced construction of both high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) overhead power lines mounted on the same pylon. The study is based on the previous publications of the femu (Jankowiak et al. 2021 and Kursawe et al. 2021) and expands the previous publication of Jankowiak et al. 2022.
The aim was to examine the role of the DC component in human perception of AC–DC hybrid electric field. Therefore, 49 participants with high detection ability were investigated using a design that combines small variations of the DC component with different AC electric fields.
The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in Pubmed and on the Homepage of Scientific Reports (open access).

Protection from mobile phone radiation: opening of a counselling centre in Switzerland

Posted on Sep 19, 2023

On behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in Switzerland, the Institute of Family Medicine of the University of Fribourg has developed the Swiss medical counselling network for non-ionising radiation (MedNIS). The aim of the network is to provide better medical advice for people suffering from complaints that they attribute to non-ionizing radiation from electricity and radio applications in everyday life. In consultation with their family doctor, electrosensitive people can now take advantage of counselling by specially trained specialists.

Further information can be found on the MedNIS website (in German, French and Italian).

ICNIRP Commission Elections

Posted on Aug 7, 2023

The call for nominations for the membership in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for the term of office 2024-2028 is now open until 25 September 2023.

Please find more information on the nomination procedure on the ICNIRP website.

Meeting on the International Systems of Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection

Posted on Jul 10, 2023

WHO organized a joint meeting with ICNIRP, ICRP, ILO and IRPA in Munich, Germany, from 26 to 28 June 2023. The objectives were to increase mutual understanding of the approaches and systems of radiation protection, and to explore possibilities for continued collaboration.

For more details, please see the websites of WHO and ICNIRP.

BioEM - Call for abstracts for Short Term Mission

Posted on Jun 26, 2023

The international Society on Bioelectromagnetics (BioEM) announces the open call for Short Term Mission of Students or Early Stage Researchers (STM) for low-middle income countries and high income countries. Application opens on 15th September 2023 and ends on 31st October 2023.

Please find more information on the application procedure on the BioEM website

Research funding

Posted on May 8, 2023

The Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication (FSM) will award, in 2023, a total amount of CHF 100,000 for research projects related to questions of acceptance of infrastructures in the field of electricity and mobile communications. Interested researchers are invited to submit a pre-proposal by August 11, 2023.
For more details, please see the FSM-Homepage.

WHO has published the members list of the Task Group on RF and Health Risks

Posted on Dec 20, 2022

The names and brief biographies of individuals being considered for participation in a WHO-convened Guideline Development Group are disclosed for public notice and comment.

Please find further information on the WHO Homepage.

BioEM 2023 - Call for abstracts

Posted on Dec 7, 2022

BioEM 2023, the international conference on bioelectromagnetics, will be held in Oxford, United Kingdom, June 18-23, 2023.

The call for abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions has started now.

Find more information on the BioEM 2023 homepage.

ANSES and IARC host a scientific conference on “Radiofrequencies and Health”

Posted on Oct 24, 2022

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will be hosting a scientific conference on the theme of “Radiofrequencies and health: research in a fast-moving environment” on 23rd of November 2022 in Paris, France.
You can participate in this event in person or online.
For more details and registration (free of charge), please see the ANSES website.

SCHEER - Public consultation on the Preliminary Opinion on scientific evidence on radiofrequency

Posted on Aug 29, 2022

Following a request from the European Commission, the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) provided the Preliminary Opinion on the need of a revision of the annexes in the Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU, in view of the latest scientific evidence available with regard to radiofrequency (100 kHz – 300 GHz).
The SCHEER advises positively on the need of a technical revision, because technological advancements and emerging wireless applications, especially in the highest end of the radiofrequency spectrum (millimeter waves), call for the introduction of limits on new dosimetric quantities.
In line with the Stakeholder Dialogue Procedures, the Scientific Committee is now seeking feedback from the scientific community and stakeholders on this Preliminary Opinion.
Interested parties can submit comments online before 25th of September 2022.
For more details, please see the SCHEER website.

International Workshop on the Causes of Childhood Leukemia

Posted on Jul 6, 2022

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) organizes the 7th International Workshop on the Causes of Childhood Leukemia from 28th–30th November 2022 in Munich, Germany. It will also be possible to participate in the workshop online.

For more details, please see the website of the workshop.

Femu systematic review on the effects of mobile communications exposure on children and adolescents

Posted on Jun 7, 2022

The journal PLoS One has published a systematic review conducted by femu entitled: “Systematic review of the physiological and health-related effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure from wireless communication devices on children and adolescents in experimental and epidemiological human studies”.
The aim of this review was to systematically analyze and evaluate the physiological and health-related effects of the exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) from wireless communication devices (mobile phones, cordless phones, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth, base stations, etc.) on children and adolescents. A total of 42 epidemiological and 11 experimental studies were eligible for this review. Overall, the body of evidence allows no final conclusion on the question whether exposure to RF EMF from mobile communication devices poses a particular risk to children and adolescents.

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in the PubMed and on the PLOS ONE homepage.

ICNIRP Mini-Symposium

Posted on May 20, 2022

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) is hosting a Mini-Symposium online and in Nagoya, Japan, 19 June 2022, ahead of the BioEM. This will be an opportunity to learn about ICNIRP and its current and planned activities, get an update on some key radiation safety issues and to address questions.
For more details, please see the website of ICNIRP.

Research funding

Posted on May 4, 2022

The Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication (FSM) will award, in 2022, a total amount of CHF 325,000 for one or two innovative research projects referring to questions about the opportunities and risks of future communication technologies. Interested researchers are invited to submit a pre-proposal by July 08, 2022.
For more details, please see the website of FSM.

femu publication about human perception of electric fields

Posted on Mar 7, 2022

The journal Scientific Reports has published an article by femu and co-authors entitled: “The role of the AC component in human perception of AC–DC hybrid electric fields”. The study was motivated by the newly introduced construction of both high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) overhead power lines mounted on the same pylon. The study is based on the previous publications of the femu (Jankowiak et al. 2021 and Kursawe et al. 2021).
The aim of the study was to specify the role of the AC component in the human perception of weak hybrid electric fields (co-exposure to alternating (AC) and static (DC) electric fields). Fifty-one participants with a hybrid EF detection ability above average who participated in a previous study were exposed under highly controlled. A further objective was to evaluate the influence of vibrotactile perception and skin moisture on EF perception.
The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in Pubmed and on the Homepage of Scientific Reports (open access).

Frontiers in Public Health announces Research Topic

Posted on Jan 27, 2022

The Journal Frontiers in Public Health, specialty of ‘Radiation and Health‘, has announced the Research Topic on wireless radiation, including 5G. Solely opinion or perspective articles will be included. Submissions are by invitation only, (hence, the submissions are marked as closed). If you are an established expert interested in submitting, please, contact Dariusz Leszczynski directly. You find more details on the webpage of the journal

International Workshop „Impact of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields on oxidative stress“

Posted on Jan 19, 2022

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) organizes the International Workshop "Impact of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields on oxidative stress” from 16th–18th February 2022 in Cottbus, Germany. it will also be possible to participate in the workshop online.
For more details, please see the website of the Workshop.

BioEM 2022 as hybrid event

Posted on Jan 11, 2022

The annual meeting of the BIOEM Society, BioEM 2022, will be held in Nagoya, Japan from June 19-24, 2022. BioEM 2022 will offer a hybrid format, allowing both on-site and online participation.

For more details, please see the BioEM 2022 homepage.

BioEM 2022 in Nagoya, Japan

Posted on Dec 13, 2021

The joint annual meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held in Nagoya, Japan, from June 19th to 24th 2022. The call for abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions has started now (see instructions for authors). The BioEM 2022 homepage provides further information and dates on the meeting.

Call for Experts: WHO Task Group on Radiofrequency Fields and Health Risks

Posted on Oct 27, 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Task Group on Radiofrequency Fields and Health Risks that will contribute to the development of a WHO monograph on Radiofrequency fields. The Call for experts provides information about the Task group in question, the expert profiles being sought, and the application and selection processes.

The deadline for application submission has been extended to 15 December 2021.

You can find further information on the WHO Homepage.

femu publication on human perception of electric fields

Posted on Aug 24, 2021

The journal Environmental Health has published an article by femu and co-authors entitled: "Human detection thresholds of DC, AC, and hybrid electric fields: a double-blind study". The study was motivated by the newly introduced construction of both high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) overhead power lines mounted on the same mast. The study is based on the previous publication of the femu (Jankowiak et al. 2021).
The aim of the study was to determine the human detection thresholds for static (DC), alternating (AC), and hybrid electric fields (co-exposure to AC and DC EF; various DC EF strengths, constant AC EF strength). A total of 203 participants were exposed to DC, AC, and hybrid EFs in a highly specialized whole-body exposure laboratory using a double-blind experimental setting. The results indicated that detection thresholds of hybrid EF were lower compared to those of single EF exposure to DC or AC. Additional ion current exposure enhanced EF perception. High relative humidity facilitated DC EF perception, whereas low relative humidity reinforced the perception of AC EFs. With this systematic investigation of human perception of DC, AC, and hybrid EFs, detection thresholds were provided, which can help to improve the construction processes of energy transmission systems and the prevention of unwanted sensory perception.

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in Pubmed and on the Environmental Health homepage.

femu is looking for a postdoc (research assistant/associate) biology, epidemiology, medicine

Posted on Aug 11, 2021

femu is looking for a postdoc in the field of biology, epidemiology, or medicine with immediate effect. Please have a look at our job advertisement (German only). We are looking forward to your application.

femu is looking for a postdoc (research assistant/associate) electrical engineer, physicist

Posted on Aug 3, 2021

femu is looking for a postdoc in the field of electrical engineering, physics, or similar with immediate effect. Please have a look at our job advertisement (German only). We are looking forward to your application.

European Commission published a new call for proposals for EMF and health research

Posted on Jul 1, 2021

The European Commission published a call for electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health research within the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON). Research actions should provide forward-looking information on potential hazards and risks of existing and emerging EMF exposures. By applying innovative monitoring techniques, experimental evidence and modelling, several activities should be included, for example: monitoring of exposures of the general population and specific groups at risk such as children and workers, establishment of potentially new exposure patterns (e.g., 5G), and investigating evidence of local and systemic biological effects and health impacts.
Deadline for submission is 21st September 2021.

You can find further information on the European Commission homepage.

femu publication about human perception of electric fields

Posted on May 19, 2021

The journal Bioelectromagnetics has published an article by femu and co-authors entitled: "Identification of Environmental and Experimental Factors Influencing Human Perception of DC and AC Electric Fields”. As part of the energy transition in Germany, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines producing DC electric fields (EF) are in planning. Since the human perception of DC EF was rarely investigated in the past, the aim of the study was to investigate human perception of direct current (DC) EF, alternating current (AC) EF, and the co-exposure of DC EF and AC EF (hybrid EF). A highly sophisticated exposure lab was built to expose participants to various EF strengths and to control environmental and experimental factors influencing the human perception. Perception thresholds were lower under hybrid EF exposure than under DC EF or AC EF exposure alone. Relative humidity could be identified as an environmental factor influencing the perception of AC EF and DC EF in different ways. Cutaneous sensations evoked under DC EF and AC EF exposure were individually different and attributed to various parts of the body. Several environmental and experimental factors influencing the human perception of EF could be identified and provide an essential basis for a large-scale study.

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in PubMed and on the Bioelectromagnetics homepage.

Feasibility study on magnetic fields and ALS with participation of femu

Posted on Mar 31, 2021

The Journal Bioelectromagnetics has published a feasibility study conducted by the Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI) of the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg‐University in Mainz, Germany and femu entitled: "Occupational Exposure to Extremely Low‐Frequency Magnetic Fields and Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results of a Feasibility Study for a Pooled Analysis of Original Data”. Previous meta‐analyses have suggested an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) associated with occupational exposure to extremely low‐frequency magnetic fields (ELF‐MF). However, since studies were methodologically heterogeneous, the feasibility of a pooling study to harmonize and re‐analyze available original data was investigated in this study. A relative risk of ≥1.14 for ALS and occupational exposure to ELF‐MF could be detected with a power of more than 80% in a pooled study. The pooling of original data was therefore recommended and could contribute to a better understanding of ELF‐MF in the etiology of ALS.

The article can be found on the Bioelectromagnetics homepage.

femu publication about interference of cardiac implants by static fields

Posted on Mar 16, 2021

The journal Expert Review of Medical Devices has published an article by femu entitled: "Interference of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices by Static Electric and Magnetic Fields”. The aim of this study was to determine thresholds for electromagnetic interference (EMI) of cardiac implants by static electric and magnetic fields. A literature search revealed four interference mechanisms caused by static magnetic fields and none for static electric fields. Due to the scarce information on motion-induced EMI by static magnetic fields, numerical simulations were performed to obtain a threshold. The results showed that motion-induced EMI should not occur below the activation of the magnetic safety switch (MSS) at 0.8 mT. The authors concluded that MSS activation is the most relevant mechanism for static magnetic fields.

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in PubMed and on the Expert Review of Medical Devices homepage.

ICNIRP Work Plan 2020-2024

Posted on Mar 11, 2021

For its term of office 2020-2024 and beyond, the ICNIRP Commission has defined the new Work Plan, which encompasses most frequencies of the non-ionizing frequency spectrum. Tasks ahead include, among others, revisiting the low frequencies and static magnetic fields guidelines and analyzing the environmental issues related to electromagnetic fields.

You can find the Work Plan on the ICNIRP homepage.

Update: 1st European EMF Forum Conference on 15th/16th November 2021

Posted on Feb 4, 2021

After rescheduling the 1st conference from 2020 to 2021, the new date for the second attempt of the 1st European EMF Forum Conference has now been set. The conference will take place from November 15 to 16, 2021 at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in Dortmund, Germany, with a pre-conference gathering for early arrivals on Sunday evening (November 14, 2021).

You can find further information on the official homepage.

Update: BioEM2021 relocated to Ghent

Posted on Jan 28, 2021

The official BioEM2021 homepage has announced that this years meeting will take place in Ghent, Belgium from September 26 to October 1, 2021. Further information will be posted on this website soon.

femu publication about computational models for contact current dosimetry

Posted on Dec 8, 2020

The journal Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing has published an article by femu and co-authors entitled: "Computational models for contact current dosimetry at frequencies below 1 MHz”. The aim of this study was to develop an extendable and adaptable validated numerical body model for computational contact current dosimetry for frequencies of 0 Hz – 1 MHz. Contact currents were conducted through the numerical body model Duke by seven contact electrodes on longitudinal and transversal paths. The resulting induced electric field and current enable the evaluation of the body impedance and the heart current factors for each frequency and current path to assess individual accident scenarios.

The open access article can be found in the EMF-Portal, in PubMed and on the Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing homepage.

Update: 1st European EMF Forum Conference postponed

Posted on Oct 28, 2020

The 1st European EMF Forum Conference "7 years of experience with the EMF directive" hosted by the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), which should take place in Dortmund, Germany, from 23 to 24 November 2020, has been postponed to the end of October/beginning of November 2021 due to the current pandemic situation. Exact dates will be announced on the BAuA homepage as soon as available.

Update: NIR Workshop cancelled

Posted on Oct 26, 2020

Due to the continuous pandemic situation, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has decided to cancel the 9th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) Workshop.

For further information, visit the ICNIRP homepage.

BioEM 2021 will not be held in Hawaii

Posted on Oct 26, 2020

The upcoming annual joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA), BioEM 2021 will not be held in Honolulu, Hawaii due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been announced by the organizing committee on the official homepage. The meeting will be held online instead starting on June 13, 2021. The deadline for submitting abstracts will still be February 12, 2021.

BioEM 2021 website is online

Posted on Jul 23, 2020

The website of the 2021 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) in Honolulu, Hawaii, from June 13 to 18, 2021 is live now.

Visit the official BioEM2021 website for first information on the meeting.

femu systematic review on static magnetic fields (≤ 1 mT)

Posted on Jun 10, 2020

The Journal PLOS ONE has published a systematic review conducted by femu entitled: "Biological and health-related effects of weak static magnetic fields (≤ 1 mT) in humans and vertebrates: A systematic review”. The aim of this review was to systematically analyze and evaluate possible effects of weak static magnetic fields on biological functioning and to provide an update on the current state of research. Eleven studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. All included studies were animal studies as no human studies were among the eligible articles. Overall, the available evidence from the literature reviewed is not sufficient to draw a conclusion for biological and health-related effects of weak static magnetic fields. We encourage further and more systematic research in this area. Any new studies should particularly address effects on biological functioning in humans to evaluate whether static magnetic fields pose a risk to human health.

The article can be found via the EMF-Portal, via PubMed and on the PLOS ONE homepage.

Update: NIR Workshop postponed

Posted on May 27, 2020

The 9th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop organized by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) was originally scheduled to take place in Seoul, Korea, from May 6-8, 2020 (see EMF-Portal News from May 7, 2019). Due to the current Sars-CoV-2 virus epidemic it has been postponed to 14-15 January 2021.

Information about the new arrangements are announced on the ICNIRP homepage.

1st European EMF Forum Conference

Posted on May 19, 2020

The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) is going to host the 1st European EMF Forum Conference "7 years of experience with the EMF directive" in Dortmund, Germany, from 23 to 24 November 2020. The aim is to exchange information on the practical application of the EMF Directive (2013/35/EU) in EU member states and discuss challenges in workshops or poster sessions. EMF-experts from ministries of labour and social affairs, governmental institutions like labour inspectorates or research institutions are invited to participate at the conference.

You can find more information on the BAuA homepage.

No connection between coronavirus and 5G

Posted on Apr 24, 2020

In light of recent events, the World Health Organization, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the European Commission and the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (in German) reacted to circulating rumors about a connection between the new mobile phone generation 5G and COVID-19 and denied it.

BioEM 2020 cancelled

Posted on Mar 19, 2020

The upcoming annual joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA), BioEM 2020, in Oxford, United Kingdom, 21-26 June 2020 has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can find the official announcement on the BioEM 2020 homepage.

ICNIRP radiofrequency guidelines 2020

Posted on Mar 12, 2020

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has released the long-awaited guidelines on limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields for the protection of humans exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in the range 100 kHz to 300 GHz. The guidelines cover many applications such as 5G technologies, WiFi, Bluetooth, mobile phones and base stations. This publication replaces the 100 kHz to 300 GHz part of the ICNIRP (1998) radiofrequency guidelines as well as the 100 kHz to 10 MHz part of the ICNIRP (2010) low-frequency guidelines.

The ICNIRP homepage provides further information. Morevover, Frequently Asked Questions related to the ICNIRP RF Guidelines 2020 are answered and the main differences between the new and previous guidelines are explained there.

NIR Workshop postponed

Posted on Mar 5, 2020

The 9th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop organized by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) was originally scheduled to take place in Seoul, Korea, from May 6-8, 2020 (see EMF-Portal News from May 7, 2019). Now it has been postponed for an indefinite period of time due to the current Sars-CoV-2 virus epidemic.

Information about the new arrangements will be announced on the ICNIRP homepage and here on EMF-Portal.

FDA review on radiofrequency fields and cancer

Posted on Feb 19, 2020

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a review of published literature between 2008 and 2018 of relevance to radiofrequency radiation and cancer. The results support the FDA’s determination that there is no consistent or credible scientific evidence of health problems caused by the exposure to radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones.

Update: BioEM 2020 - Abstract Submission Deadline Extended

Posted on Feb 3, 2020

The deadline for abstract submissions for the BioEM 2020 in in Oxford, UK, has been extended to February 9, 2020.

Visit the BioEM 2020 homepage for further information.

BioEM 2021 in Honolulu, Hawai’i

Posted on Jan 27, 2020

The 2021 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be at the Hawai’i Convention Center in Honolulu Hawai’i from June 13 to 18, 2021.

Read the official announcement on the BEMS homepage.

Relaunch of WHO call for systematic reviews

Posted on Jan 17, 2020

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Radiation Programme has an ongoing project to assess potential health effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Within this framework, 10 topics for systematic reviews were identified last year, for which research teams could apply to the WHO (see EMF-Portal news from 9 October 2019). Now it has been announced that for three topics WHO is still looking for eligible teams. The deadline has been extended until 7 February 2020.

For more information visit the WHO homepage.

BioEM 2020 - Call for abstracts

Posted on Dec 19, 2019

The 2020 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 21 to June 26, 2020 in Oxford, UK. The call for abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions has started now. Find more information on the BioEM 2020 homepage.

ICNIRP Commission 2020-2024

Posted on Dec 6, 2019

As per its statutes, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) elects its commission members every four years. Following a call for nominations extended to the Commission members, IRPA (International Radiation Protection Association) and its societies, and national public radiation protection authorities (see news article from 23 May 2019), the election took place at the ICNIRP Annual General Meeting, 19-20 November 2019, in Munich, Germany. For the term of office 2020-2024, Rodney Croft (Australia) was elected as the new chair and Eric van Rongen (Netherlands) as the vice chair. The new members are Tania Cestari, Nigel Cridland, Anke Huss, and Ken Karipidis. Maria Feychting (Vice-Chair 2012-2020) and Adèle Green are departing the Main Commission. Zenon Sienkiewicz also leaves the Main Commission.

For more information and listing of all commission members, see the ICNIRP homepage.

Advisory group report on priorities for IARC Monographs published

Posted on Nov 4, 2019

In spring 2019, an advisory group had recommended that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) should reassess the cancer risks associated with non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation with high priority (see news article from April 04, 2019). The full report on priorities for the IARC Monographs during 2020-2024 is now available on the IARC website. On the topic of non-ionizing radiation, the recommendations are as follows (p. 148-149): High priority for a reassessment of radiofrequency EMF within 5 years and no recommendation for a reassessment of extremely low frequency magnetic fields.

femu systematic review on electrosensitivity

Posted on Oct 30, 2019

The Journal Environmental Health has published a systematic review conducted by femu and NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) entitled: "Methodological limitations in experimental studies on symptom development in individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) – a systematic review". The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate methodological limitations in experimental studies on symptom development in IEI-EMF individuals that might have fostered false positive or false negative results. In many of the 28 included studies, methodological limitations were identified that might have either fostered false or masked real effects of exposure. Overall, the evidence pointed towards no effect of exposure. If further experimental studies are conducted, they should preferably be performed at the individual level and they should minimize the risk of bias in study design.

The article can be found via the EMF-Portal, via PubMed and on the Environmental Health homepage.

WHO call for systematic reviews

Posted on Oct 9, 2019

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Radiation Programme has an ongoing project to assess potential health effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. To prioritize research questions in this field, WHO conducted a broad international survey in 2018. Ten major topics were identified for which WHO will now commission systematic reviews. The closing date for the call of expression of interest is 4 November 2019.

For more information visit the WHO homepage.

BfS childhood leukemia workshop

Posted on Sep 11, 2019

The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) hosts the 6th International Workshop on the Causes of Childhood Leukemia from 20 to 22 November 2019 in Freising (Munich), Germany. The Workshop will discuss current research results and future research directions, focusing on potential mechanisms of childhood leukemia development. The workshop is addressed to scientists, pediatricians, epidemiologists, biologists and radiation scientists as well as to representatives of German, European and international institutions and stakeholders. The conference language is English.

Further information can be found on the official homepage of the workshop.

International Symposium “Biological effects of wireless technology”

Posted on Sep 5, 2019

The Competence Initiative for the Protection of Humanity, the Environment and Democracy e.V hosts the international public symposium “Biological effects of wireless technology” from 4 to 6 October 2019 in the Electoral Palace, Mainz, Germany. The event addresses both experts and interested lay people and will offer lectures, workshops, documentary films and panel discussions on the possible health-related effects of wireless communication, especially 5G. The lectures and discussions will be simultaneously translated into German or English.
Further information on the event can be found on the Competence Initiative homepage.

BioEM 2020 in Oxford, UK

Posted on Aug 27, 2019

The 2020 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 21 to June 26, 2020 in Oxford, UK. The official website will provide further information on the meeting soon.

International BfS workshop on EMF effects on animals and plants

Posted on Jul 25, 2019

The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) organizes the international workshop “International workshop: Environmental effects of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields: Flora and Fauna” from 5–7 November 2019 in Munich, Germany. The workshop will cover the effects of anthropogenic fields of all frequencies on plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, possible mechanisms of action in living systems and gaps in knowledge.

Registration and abstract submission are open now. For more information, visit the official homepage.

femu systematic review on direct current electrical injuries

Posted on Jun 28, 2019

The Journal Burns has published a systematic review conducted by femu entitled: "Direct current electrical injuries: A systematic review of case reports and case series". This review aimed at systematically summarizing the medical consequences of direct current (DC) electrical injuries described in case reports and case series. The analysis showed that it was not possible to identify well defined medical consequences for various circumstances of DC electrical injuries due few available data and partly incomplete documentations. To achieve this goal, additional studies are required, each providing a comprehensive description of the medical consequences and the circumstances of the electrical injuries.

This work was supported by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Energy, Textile, Electrical, and Media Products Sectors (BG ETEM).

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal, on PubMed and on ScienceDirect.

International seminar on 5G and Health

Posted on Jun 28, 2019

On October 17, 2019, the Institute of Non-ionizing Radiation (INIS) will host an international seminar on 5G and Health in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This seminar will provide an overview of EMF, 5G and health issues with a special focus on state of the art in health risk assessment, new ICNIRP guidelines and key procedures in relation to network rollout. The seminar language will be English.

Further details including the information on program, accommodation and registration are available on the official homepage.

EMF-Portal: new study overview for 5G

Posted on Jun 28, 2019

In order to provide a quick overview of the study inventory on the currently widely discussed topic "5th generation mobile communications (5G)", the EMF-Portal now offers an appropriate study overview. Under the tab "Literature" and the heading "Mobile communications", you will find the new item "Studies on 5th generation mobile communications (5G)”. This section lists all studies on 5G.

ICNIRP Commission Elections 2019

Posted on May 23, 2019

The call for nominations for the membership in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) from 2020 to 2024 is now open until 17 September 2019. All IRPA (International Radiation Protection Association) national societies, the IRPA Executive Council and all national public bodies in charge of non-ionizing radiation protection are invited to send their nominations.

Forms, information and contact data can be found on the ICNIRP homepage.

9th International NIR Workshop

Posted on May 7, 2019

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) will hold its 9th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop in conjunction with the IRPA15 Congress in Seoul, Korea, from 6-8 May 2020. The update of the ICNIRP Radio Frequency Guidelines expected for publication in 2019 will be the focus of the workshop. Visit the ICNIRP website for further information.

IARC advised to revisit radiofrequency cancer risk

Posted on Apr 24, 2019

An Advisory Group has recommended that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) should reassess the cancer risks associated with non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation with high priority. According to the panel’s report, which was issued last week in The Lancet, the group suggests that the new evaluation should take place between 2022 and 2024. Besides radiofrequency fields, several other agents were recommended for revisit, e.g. automotive gasoline, acrylamide or sedentary behavior. A detailed report of the advisory committee will be published subsequently.

femu systematic review on biological effects of intermediate frequency fields

Posted on Feb 7, 2019

The Journal Environmental Research has published a systematic review performed by femu entitled: "Systematic review on the biological effects of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields in the intermediate frequency range (300 Hz to 1 MHz)". The aim of the review was to assess the potential biological and health effects of exposures to intermediate frequency fields. The analysis showed that the studies investigated yielded inconsistent results for most endpoints. In addition, many studies suffered from methodological limitations which lowered the credibility of the reported results. Overall, the quality of evidence for adverse effects remains inadequate for drawing a conclusion on investigated biological effects.

The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and commissioned by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Germany (grant number 3616S82437).

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal and on the Environmental Research homepage.

BioEM 2019 in Montpellier, France

Posted on Jan 16, 2019

The 2019 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 23 to 29 2018 in Montpellier, France. The official BioEM 2019 website provides further information and dates on the meeting. The call for abstracts for platform presentations and poster sessions has started now.

Erice School 2019

Posted on Nov 16, 2018

The 9th Course of the International School of Bioelectromagnetics “Alessandro Chiabrera” will take place from from March 24 to March 30, 2019 in Erice, Italy. The title of the course is “Possible Biomedical Applications of Electromagnetic Fields to cancer: from Biology and in silico to clinical perspectives”.

Further information can be found on the EBEA homepage and in the official announcement (pdf file).

Release of NTP Final Reports of Cell Phone Radio Frequency Radiation Studies

Posted on Nov 6, 2018

National Toxicology Program (NTP) has now released the final reports of their Cell Phone Radio Frequency Radiation Studies. These toxicology studies in rats and mice were conducted to help clarify potential health hazards, including cancer risk, from exposure to radio frequency radiation like that used in 2G and 3G cell phones. NTP concludes that there is clear evidence of tumors (malignant schwannomas) in the hearts of male rats and some evidence of further tumors in male rats. Japan and Korea have announced to verify the results in own animal studies.

You can find all relating documents and a fact sheet on the NTP homepage.

University Professorship "Healthy Living Spaces" at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen available

Posted on Nov 6, 2018

The Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine is seeking qualified applicants for research and teaching in the area of Healthy Living Spaces. The starting date is at the earliest possible date. The professorship will concentrate on research into the prevention and treatment of building-related health disorders in an interdisciplinary setting. The position with an attractive equipment is limited initially to a fixed 5-year term due to the funding period of the foundation (Villum foundation, Denmark).

You can find further information in the official advertisement.

Systematic review on intermediate frequency fields: BfS departmental research report published

Posted on Aug 9, 2018

Within the framework of a project funded by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), femu in cooperation with Seibersdorf Labor GmbH has conducted a systematic review entitled “Exposure and effects of electromagnetic fields of novel technologies in the intermediate frequency range - systematic review - Project 3616S82437”. The report consists of three parts: Part 1 describes the sources of electromagnetic fields in the intermediate frequency range as well as documented exposures and immissions, part 2 deals with the possible biological effects of intermediate frequency fields and part 3 examines possible electromagnetic interference of electronic implants. The review has now been published as a departmental research report in DORIS, the online database of BfS, and is available for free and public download (in German only; an English summary is to be added).

Start of ICNIRP radiofrequency guidelines consultation

Posted on Jul 12, 2018

The draft of the ICNIRP Guidelines on Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric, Magnetic and Electromagnetic Fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz) is now open for public consultation. As part of the development of guidelines, ICNIRP has regularly presented draft guidelines to encourage critique and feedback from the public. The consultation process is open now and will terminate on 9 October 2018. After the consultation period, all comments will be reviewed by ICNIRP for finalization of the draft.

You can find the draft documents and comment form on the ICNIRP website.

femu systematic review on EMI in cardiac implants caused by intermediate frequency fields

Posted on Jul 12, 2018

The Journal EP Europace has published a systematic review performed by femu with the title: „Electromagnetic interference in cardiac electronic implants caused by novel electrical appliances emitting electromagnetic fields in the intermediate frequency range: a systematic review“. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate whether cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the IF range (1 kHz–1 MHz). The analysis showed that cardiac implants are susceptible to EMI in the intermediate frequency range, particularly through security systems and induction hobs. The likelihood for EMI is dependent on different exposure-related parameters (field strength, frequency and modulation) and on the implanted devices and leads (model, type of implant, implant sensitivity setting, lead configuration and implantation site). However, the factors influencing EMI have not yet been sufficiently characterized to derive exposure limit values. Future studies should therefore consider exposure-related parameters as well as implant- and lead-related parameters systematically. Additionally, worst-case scenarios should be considered in all study types where possible.

The study was supported by the European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) e.V., Germany.

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal and is available for free download on the EP Europace homepage.

ICNIRP radiofrequency guidelines consultation starting soon

Posted on Jul 11, 2018

ICNIRP has announced on its website that the new radiofrequency guidelines will be online for consultation within a few days. You can subscribe to the ICNIRP newsletter to get notified. Of course, EMF-Portal will also inform you as soon as the consultation process starts.

On our own behalf: Resumption of radiofrequency articles into the EMF-Portal

Posted on May 24, 2018

We are pleased to announce that, thanks to the financial support of our valuable users, we are able once again, to import articles from the radiofrequency range into the EMF-Portal. Fortunately, we could close the gap in our literature inventory and all newly published articles released up to April 30, 2018 have been included. In order that we are able to import further publications released in the future, please help us with your donation. Thank you very much!

Find out more about costs, funding and donations for the EMF-Portal.

NTP studies: High Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation Linked to Tumor Activity in Male Rats

Posted on Feb 7, 2018

The National Toxicology Programm (NTP), USA, has released two draft reports on studies on cell phone radiofrequency radiation in rats and mice. The main result is that high exposure to radiofrequency radiation resulted in tumors in tissues surrounding nerves in the hearts of male rats, but not female rats or any mice. The exposure levels used in the studies were equal to and higher than the highest level permitted for local tissue exposure in cell phone emissions today. Cell phones typically emit lower levels of radiation than the maximum level allowed. NTP will hold an external expert review of its complete findings from these rodent studies on March 26-28.

Here you can read the official statement and download the draft reports from the NTP homepage for free.

ICNIRP note on revision of RF guidelines

Posted on Dec 12, 2017

ICNIRP’s current guidelines for the high-frequency (100 kHz – 300 GHz) range have been under revision since 2014, and a public consultation version of the updated guidelines is expected within the first half of 2018. Given this timing, ICNIRP has been asked whether, in the interim period, the current guidelines can still be considered as protective. ICNIRP now replied that the anticipated exposure limit changes are very small and thus the current guidelines remain protective. However, if aspects should be discovered that are not sufficiently protective during the remainder of the revision process, ICNIRP will immediately publish interim amendments that would remain in force until the revised guidelines are published.

The original statement can be found on the ICNIRP website, where further updates on the high-frequency guidelines revision process will be published as well.

Import suspension of radio frequency and mobile phone-related articles

Posted on Nov 28, 2017

On our own behalf: Due to a lack of financial resources, we unfortunately have to suspend the import of any new radio frequency and mobile phone-related articles as of now (November 27, 2017). We apologize for this inconvenience and will keep you informed.

ICRP and ICNIRP Meeting on the International Systems of Radiation Protection

Posted on Nov 20, 2017

From November 8-10, 2017, the two international organizations responsible for developing the systems of radiation protection worldwide, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) exchanged information and views on the scientific basis, ethical basis, and basic principles of protection. The objectives of this meeting in Munich, Germany, were to increase mutual understanding of the approaches to protection, to reach a common understanding of the state of the systems of protection and to explore possibilities for continued collaboration. Both organizations have reached an agreement in principle to strengthen communication and collaboration between them and with other organizations with similar interests.

You can download the official statement on the meeting from the ICNIRP homepage.

New extended EMF-Portal search

Posted on Nov 8, 2017

On our own behalf: The EMF-Portal is now offering an extended search. The new search complements the well-known literature search and is particularly fast and easy to use. It presents results from the literature database as well as the glossary and the info texts. The search is intuitive and delivers relevant hits to individual search terms, combinations, complete sentences or questions.

femu systematic review on effects of static electric fields - part II

Posted on Oct 5, 2017

The Journal Environmental Research has published a systematic review performed by femu with the title: “Systematic review of biological effects of exposure to static electric fields. Part II: Invertebrates and plants “. The article completes the investigations (part 1 investigated effects on humans and vertebrates) on effects of static electric fields in view of the increasing importance of high-voltage direct-current transmission lines (HVDC) and missing limit values. Based on 33 identified studies, the authors found no evidence for adverse effects of static electric fields at HVDC field levels, but strong indications that invertebrates are able to perceive them. However, corona-action appears to cause adverse biological effects at very high field levels. The study was funded within the framework of the BMBF ResearchCampus Flexible Electrical Networks (FEN).

The article can be found in the EMF-Portal and is available for free download from ScienceDirect.

Evaluation EMF-Portal

Posted on Sep 19, 2017

On our own behalf: With the help of a grant from the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the EMF-Portal was analyzed and evaluated by independent experts. In order to decide how the EMF-Portal will be made available in the future, both the website and the use of the EMF-Portal were analyzed regarding the content and its quality, the presentation of the results and the usability for information gathering. The usability of the EMF-Portal was also tested for various target groups and recommendations for the improvement of the EMF-Portal were derived. The evaluation of the content was carried out by Seibersdorf Labor GmbH and the evaluation of user management by YOUSE GmbH.
The final report can be downloaded from the BfS homepage (in German; only abstract in English).

BfS workshop on neurogenerative diseases and magnetic field exposure

Posted on Aug 17, 2017

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has announced the International Workshop “Relationship between neurodegenerative diseases and magnetic field exposure – state of knowledge and research perspectives”. It will take place from 12 - 14 December 2017 in Munich, Germany as part of the BfS research initiative on radiation protection in power grid expansion (EMF-Portal reported). Several topics like epidemiological evidence of a possible relationship between low frequency magnetic fields and neurodegenerative diseases will be addressed on the workshop. The focus will be Alzheimer’s dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, medical aspects like diagnoses and therapy and on the investigation of action mechanisms with the help of animal and cell models. The aim of the workshop is to summarize the recent state of scientific knowledge and to identify research gaps. Submission of abstracts is possible until November 10. Visit the official homepage for further information and registration.

BioEM 2018 in Portorož, Slovenia

Posted on Aug 2, 2017

The 2018 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 25 to 29 2018 in Portorož, Slovenia. The official BioEM 2018 website provides first information and dates on the meeting.

BfS online consultation on radiation protection research

Posted on Jul 18, 2017

To facilitate a broad discussion, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is now offering the possibility to participate in the recently launched research program radiation protection in power grid expansion (see EMF-Portal news from July 4). Until mid-September, interested persons can review the individual projects of the program and submit their comments online. These are evaluated in the BfS and considered during the further planning of the research program. The aim of the online consultation is to discuss all aspects of health and radiation protection from the beginning. Further information are available on the BfS homepage (in German).

Kick-off event for BfS research initiative

Posted on Jul 4, 2017

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is intensifying its research on radiation protection in power grid expansion in view of the energy transition in Germany and the still existing scientific uncertainties regarding the possible risks of static and low-frequency fields. There are 33 studies planned in the fields of epidemiology and biology, exposure and dosimetry and risk communication. At the kick-off event on 11 July 2017 in Berlin, the BfS will provide information on its research initiative and the discussion shall improve the orientation of the research program and focus on key issues. Further information can be found on the BfS homepage (in German).

Start of BioEM2017 in Hangzhou, China

Posted on May 30, 2017

The 2017 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) BioEM2017 will start next week on Monday, June 5, in the West Lake Villa in Hangzhou, China. The online registration will close on Thursday. However, on-site registration is possible as well. The conference program is available on the BioEM2017 homepage. Several plenary lectures, e.g., on epigenetics and EMF or health effects of the future 5G technology as well as multiple workshops, e.g., on novel radio frequency exposure measurement devices can be attended.

FSM Science Brunch 26

Posted on May 19, 2017

The Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication (FSM; Zurich, Switzerland) invites interested persons to the 26th Science Brunch with the title “acceptance of power lines and energy transition” on June 29, 2017. The event series "Science Brunch" was developed to provide the interested public with a platform for the discussion of current issues related to electricity and mobile communications and it takes place twice a year. Visit the FSM homepage for further information and registration (information in German only).

femu systematic review on biological effects of static electric fields

Posted on May 2, 2017

The Journal Environmental Health has published a systematic review performed by femu with the title: “Biological effects of exposure to static electric fields in humans and vertebrates: a systematic review“. The study was carried out in view of the increasing importance of high-voltage direct-current transmission lines and missing limits for static electric fields in the environment. Based on 48 identified studies, the authors found no consistent indications for adverse effects of static electric fields, but good evidence that humans and animals are able to perceive them. The conditions that affect thresholds for detection should be further investigated. The study was funded within the framework of BMBF Forschungscampus Flexible Electric Networks (FEN) (in German).
The article can be found in the EMF-Portal and is available for free download on the Environmental Health homepage.

Interference thresholds of cardiac pacemakers in electrical and magnetic 50 Hz fields

Posted on May 2, 2017

Together with the Clinic for Cardiology, Pneumology, Angiology and Internal Intensive Medicine (Medical Clinic I) of the Uniklinik Aachen, femu has published in the Journal Circulation of the American Heart Association the following article, "In Vivo Study of Electromagnetic Interference With Pacemakers Caused by Everyday Electric and Magnetic Fields". In this study, the interference of cardiac pacemakers in humans was investigated in 50 Hz fields with electrical field strengths between 0.5 kV/m to 30 kV/m and magnetic flux densities between 10 μT and 2550 μT. With this unique approach under worst-case conditions, the threshold of the first functional interference of the implant was identified and therefore, for the first time, the interference thresholds from a large group of cardiac pacemakers are available. These can now be related to international and national regulations for the protection against harmful effects of EMF, in which people with implants have generally not been considered up to now.
The article can be found in the EMF-Portal as well as on the Circulation homepage.

Update: BioEM 2017 - Abstract Submission Deadline Extended

Posted on Feb 15, 2017

The deadline for abstract submissions for the BioEM 2017 in Hangzhou, China, has been extended to February 28, 2017. Moreover, the planned plenary talks, workshops and tutorials have now been published. You can find the original announcement on the BioEM 2017 website.

ICNIRP Statement on Diagnostic Devices Using NIR

Posted on Feb 6, 2017

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has released its Statement on Diagnostic Devices Using Non-Ionizing Radiation: Existing Regulations and Potential Health Risks. The statement reviews the range of diagnostic non-ionizing radiation (NIR) devices currently used in clinical settings, documents the relevant regulations and policies covering patients and health care workers and analyzes exposure scenarios and potential health dangers. Follow the link to the ICNIRP homepage for a free download.

BioEM 2017: deadline for abstracts is February 15

Posted on Feb 6, 2017

A short reminder: The deadline for submission of abstracts for the BioEM 2017 in Hangzhou, China, is February 15, 2017. The registration for the conference is also open. Visit the BioEM 2017 website for further information and registration.

Swiss Council of States against higher limits for mobile phone base stations

Posted on Dec 14, 2016

After intensive discussion, the Swiss Council of States has spoken out against an increase of the limit values for mobile phone base stations. The National Council wanted the Council of States to revise the Ordinance on the Protection from Non-Ionizing Radiation because the current conditions were too restrictive from its point of view. However, the Council of States rejected the revision by 20 votes to 19 with 3 abstentions, thus maintaining the current limits. Read the original announcement on the homepage of the Swiss Parliament (in German).

BioEM2017 in Hangzhou, China

Posted on Nov 8, 2016

The 2017 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 5 to 9 2017 in the West Lake Villa in Hangzhou, China. The official BioEM2017 website has now been released and provides information and dates on the meeting.

Upcoming ICNIRP workshop

Posted on Nov 7, 2016

On December 2, 2016, an International Workshop on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection will take place in Tokyo, Japan. The main topics of the workshop are the revision of the ICNIRP high frequency guidelines and non-ionizing radiation protection related to 5G system. The workshop is opened for scientific experts of non-ionizing radiation. ICNIRP announces to post further information regarding the program soon. Read the original article on the ICNIRP homepage.

Delay of ICNIRP high frequency guidelines release

Posted on Oct 17, 2016

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has been working on its new high-frequency guidelines, which will cover the 100 kHz – 300 GHz range and will replace the high frequency portion of the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines. A draft of the new guidelines was presented and discussed at ICNIRP’s 8th International NIR Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, in May 2016. At that time, ICNIRP was planning to have a public consultation document ready by the end of 2016. However, as some of the issues that were raised regarding the HF guidelines are requiring considerable additional thought and development, this time frame is no longer feasible. ICNIRP will provide updates on the progress in due course. Read the original news on the ICNIRP homepage.

Start of BioEM2016 in Ghent, Belgium

Posted on Jun 2, 2016

The 2016 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) BioEM2016 is going to open this Sunday. It will take place from June 5 to June 10, 2016 at the convention center “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium. The online registration will close tomorrow, June 3. Please note that there is no on-site registration. The femu (Research Center for Bioelectromagnetic Interaction) and the team of EMF-Portal are going to be on-site with several posters and presentations. We are looking forward to meet you there to answer your questions and hear your suggestions! We are going to present the following topics:

Presentation: Factors determining susceptibility of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices with bipolar leads to ELF-EMF (Session 6, Tuesday, 17.00)

Presentation: Study on the Interference of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices (CIED) Exposed to Magnetic Fields up to 200 kHz (Session 6, Tuesday, 17.20)

Presentation: Is there evidence of biological effects from WLAN and comparable electromagnetic fields in everyday exposure situations? Systematic review of experimental studies (Session 12, Thursday, 14.00)

Poster: Detection thresholds for static electric fields from high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines in human subjects (PA-111, Poster-Session A, Monday, 14.30)

Poster: Review on the scientific basics of the international technical specification IEC TS 60479 on limiting electrical hazards for human beings and livestock (PA-217, Poster-Session A, Monday, 14.30)

Poster: Relaunch EMF-Portal 2016: Redesign, Consolidation and Modernization of the IT infrastructure making the EMF-Portal ready for the Future (PB-214, Poster Session B, Tuesday, 14.00)

Poster: Scientific literature database on the electrophysiological effects of electric current: A valuable
expansion of the EMF-Portal (PB-216, Poster Session B, Tuesday, 14.00)

Poster: Health and biological effects of static electric fields on humans and vertebrates: A systematic
Review (PB-220, Poster Session B, Tuesday, 14.00)

Follow-up: 8th International NIR Workshop

Posted on Jun 2, 2016

The 8th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) took place from 9-11 May. The slides from the presentations are now available for free on the ICNIRP website. (Please note: the link leads to general information about the conference belonging to the tab “Info”. However, the slides are found following the tab “Program” to the right.)

FSM Science Brunch 24

Posted on May 4, 2016

The Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication (FSM; Zurich, Switzerland) invites interested persons to the 24th Science Brunch with the title “Cellular and Molecular Effects of EMF” on June 23, 2016. The event wants to provide insight into the cellular and molecular EMF research to date and give the opportunity to exchange views and opinions. The event series "Science Brunch" was developed to provide the interested public with a platform for the discussion of current issues related to mobile communications and it takes place twice a year. Visit the FSM homepage for further information and registration (information in German only).

2nd Update: BioEM2016 in Ghent, Belgium

Posted on Apr 25, 2016

The early registration deadline for the 2016 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) from June 5 to June 10, 2016 at the convention center “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium has been extended with one week. If you want to register at lower rates, you should register before the end of Friday, 29th of April. Meanwhile, the meeting program has been published. The femu (Research Center for Bioelectromagnetic Interaction) will be represented on site with several posters and platform presentations as well. All information on the meeting and the registration link can be found on the official BioEM2016 website.

Update: EBEA school in Erice 2016 – travel support

Posted on Mar 4, 2016

The 8th course of the International School of Bioelectromagnetics “Alessandro Chiabrera”: “Electromagnetic Fields and the Nervous System" of EBEA (European Bioelectromagnetics Association) will take place from 11 to 16 April, 2016 in Erice, Italy (see also EMF-Portal news from 23 June 2015). The conference program can be found on the EBEA website. COST (European Association of Science and Technology) provides at least 13 grants of 650€ each to participants for travel support while the participation fee for the conference has been reduced to 800€ for COST grantees. The application deadline for the funding is 11 March. All information can be found here.

BfS publication: International comparison of EMF limits

Posted on Mar 2, 2016

The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has commissioned a study, where relevant international regulations for limiting exposure for the general population in all areas of non-ionizing radiation are analyzed and compared. The publication consists of two volumes. The first volume includes regulations for electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields in the range 0 Hz - 300 GHz and the second volume comprises regulations on optical radiation. The report is available free via the BfS homepage (only in German).

Free download of IEEE standards

Posted on Mar 2, 2016

The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) grants public access to view and download current individual standards as part of the IEEE Get Program. The Get Program is supported by industry and government and allows, among others, the download of the “IEEE C95™ standards: Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields”. The access is free by sending your name and e-mail address and agreeing to the terms of use. Please note that contents may only be available free for a limited period.

Update: BioEM2016 in Ghent, Belgium

Posted on Dec 14, 2015

The 2016 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 5 to June 10 at the culture and convention center “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium. Since our last news coverage (see article from 17 July 2015), further information has been published. All important dates and deadlines of the meeting as well as information for students for the application for student travel supports can now be found on the official BioEM2016 homepage.

Update: 8th International NIR Workshop

Posted on Dec 14, 2015

As already reported in July by the EMF-Portal (see article 8th International NIR Workshop, 20.7.15), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) will hold its 8th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, from 9-11 May 2016. Now the program has been put online and the deadline for the submission of abstracts for the poster sessions has been announced (10.4.16). For further information on the program and the abstracts as well as on the registration, please visit the ICNIRP homepage.

ICNIRP Commission 2016-2020

Posted on Dec 14, 2015

As per its statutes, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) elects its commission members every four years. For the term of office 2016-2020, the election took place at the ICNIRP Annual General Meeting, 18-20 November 2015, San Antonio, USA. Following the call for nominations (see EMF-Portal News from 23 June 2015), 24 candidates stood for candidature. Eric van Rongen (Health Council of the Netherlands) was elected as the new chair and Maria Feychting (Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden) as the vice chair. For more information and listing of all commission members, see the ICNIRP homepage.

8th International NIR Workshop

Posted on Jul 20, 2015

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) will hold its 8th International NIR (non-ionizing radiation) workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, from 9-11 May 2016. The workshop will take place in conjunction with the IRPA14 Congress on the occasion of International Radiation Protection Association’s (IRPA) 50th anniversary. Amongst others, the update of the ICNIRP Radio Frequency Guidelines that are currently under revision and the related development of the WHO Environmental Health Criteria on Radiofrequency Fields will be a major topic of the workshop. Visit the ICNIRP website for further information on the workshop.

BioEM2016 in Ghent, Belgium

Posted on Jul 20, 2015

The 2016 joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will be held from June 5 to June 10 at the culture and convention center “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium. The official website has just been released and further information on the meeting will be provided there in the future. First impressions of the city and location can be already found on the BioEM2016 website.

EMF-Portal: interactive study overview 50/60 Hz online

Posted on Jul 10, 2015

The EMF-Portal provides interactive diagrams in order to allow users a quick overview about research data in a certain frequency range. The overviews of experimental and epidemiologic studies on the power frequency range (50/60 Hz) have now been released to expand this offer. At present, more than 1550 experimental studies on magnetic fields and electric fields and 440 epidemiologic studies of the 50/60 Hz frequency range have been categorized on two levels according to their endpoints and can be visualized in attractive pie charts. By clicking on a pie slice, all available studies on the corresponding endpoint can be displayed further either in a compact literature list or in a condensed table. The table can be sorted individually by clicking on the table header and contains additional information about the most important exposure parameters of a study and if there is already a detailed extraction available in the EMF-Portal. You can find all study overviews under the point “literature” in the EMF-Portal menu. The project was funded by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection.

EBEA Erice School 2016

Posted on Jun 23, 2015

The EBEA (European Bioelectromagnetics Association) has announced the 8th course of the International School of Bioelectromagnetics “Alessandro Chiabrera”: Electromagnetic Fields and the Nervous System: Biological Effects, Biophysical Mechanisms, Methods, and Medical Applications. The course will take place from 11 to 18 April, 2016 in Erice, Italy. More information can be found on the EBEA homepage and in the official announcement (pdf file).

ICNIRP elections

Posted on Jun 23, 2015

The call for nominations for the membership in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) from 2016 to 2020 is now open until 14 September 2015. All IRPA (International Radiation Protection Association) national societies are invited to send their nominations. Forms, information and contact data can be found on the ICNIRP homepage.

Follow-up: ICNIRP Workshop “Thresholds of thermal damage”

Posted on Jun 2, 2015

The workshop “Thresholds of thermal damage”, organized by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Istanbul, Turkey (EMF-Portal reported) took place from May 26 to May 28, 2015. The slides from most of the presentations are now available online on the ICNIRP homepage.

5th Paris Appeal Congress

Posted on May 7, 2015

From June 18 to June 19, 2015, the 5th Paris Appeal Congress will take place at the Royal Academy of Medicine in Brussels, Belgium. The international conference with the title “Idiopathic environmental intolerance: What role for electromagnetic fields and chemicals?” will be organized by the ARTAC in cooperation with ECERI and ISDE. More information on the Paris Appeal and the conference can be found on the homepage of the Paris Appeal.

WHO update of data on existence of EMF legislation

Posted on Apr 20, 2015

The WHO International EMF database has released a new database on the worldwide existence of EMF exposure legislation (situation in 2014). The data reveals that more than 80% of the participating countries have legislation on exposure to electromagnetic fields. An interactive graph with several filter options allows a differentiated overview of the existence of public and occupational exposure standards for different frequency ranges. For more information, please visit the database and the interactive graph on the WHO homepage.

ICNIRP Workshop: “Thresholds of thermal damage”

Posted on Mar 23, 2015

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) will organize the workshop “Thresholds of thermal damage” together with the World Health Organization (WHO) from May 26 to May 28, 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey. With a view of updating the guidance on limiting exposure to radio frequency fields, ICNIRP will review the current scientific knowledge on the thresholds of thermal damage. The workshop is open to the public. For further information, visit the ICNIRP home page.

femu receives DGAUM Innovation Award 2015

Posted on Mar 21, 2015

At this year´s 55th Scientific Annual Meeting of the German Society for Occupational Medicine and Environmental Medicine (DGAUM) in Munich, the Research Center for Bioelectromagnetic Interaction (femu) was awarded the Innovation Award 2015. The president of the DGAUM, Prof. Hans Drexler, presented the DGAUM Innovation Award 2015 to Dr. Sarah Drießen, project leader of femu. For more information on the DGAUM Annual Meeting 2015, visit the web page of the DGAUM (in German).

SCENIHR releases final opinion on EMF

Posted on Mar 20, 2015

On January 27, 2015, the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) of the European Commission released their final opinion on potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) (see Potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF)). Especially for non-specialists, an additional easy-to-read summary in plain language and a science fact sheet containing the most important information in short have now been released. For further information on the SCENIHR, see the SCENIHR web page.

Update: WHO monograph on radio frequency fields

Posted on Jan 28, 2015

The World Health Organization (WHO) is undertaking a health risk assessment of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to be published as an update of the monograph on radiofrequency fields from 1993 in the Environmental Health Criteria Series (see Electromagnetic fields (WHO EHC Monograph No. 137)). Public consultation is closed and the draft chapters of this document are now open for technical consultation by radio frequency experts. The WHO is seeking comments on the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in these chapters. For further information, visit the WHO web page.

Dr. Sarah Drießen appointed to committee of the German Commission on Radiological Protection

Posted on Jan 10, 2015

At the beginning of 2015, Dr. Sarah Drießen of the Research Center for Bioelectromagnetic Interaction of University Hospital RWTH Aachen (provider of EMF-Portal) was appointed to the committee on “Non Ionizing Radiation” of The German Commission on Radiological Protection (SSK). This board evaluates health effects of non-ionizing radiation and contributes to the counsel of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as an expert committee of the SSK. You can find more information on the SSK, its committees and members on SSK web page (in German).

BioEM 2015

Posted on Jan 5, 2015

The annual joint meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European Bioelectromagnetics Association (EBEA) will take place at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, USA from June 14 to June 19, 2015. As an international conference in the area of bioelectromagnetics, BioEM 2015 it is expected to stimulate further research in this field through the exchange of ideas and lively debate on state-of-the-art knowledge, as well as filling the existing knowledge gaps. For further information, visit the BioEM 2015 web page.