Research

Research on EMFs

What research do we need and why?
How much research has been done?
Types of research on EMFs
Research ethics
EMF research supported by the UK electricity industry
Other EMF research in the UK
Other EMF research internationally

What research do we need and why?

In the long term EMFs are a scientific issue that should ultimately be resolved scientifically. So the industry, along with Governments, charities and research bodies, supports research to get to the bottom of the issue. That needs to be:

• independent research - rightly or wrongly, the fact is that research by industry is often not trusted.
• top quality research. For much of the 1980s and early 1990s, the very best scientists tended not to get involved in EMFs, since it was seen as a bit of a fringe area. Some frankly bad work was done that confused the scientific picture (and to some extent still does).There have been two formal findings of misconduct by EMF researchers (see here andhere). The mid 90s, however, saw some really top quality people get involved, and that has brought a greater clarity to the science. To get to the bottom of this issue, only the best science will do.

How much research has been done?

Historically, around the world, EMF research spending has totalled more than £300 million already. Perhaps half of that money has come from industry.

• In the UK, EMF research originated in the CEGB.
• Industry research is now led by National Grid, the owner and operator of the transmission system, but with all electricity companies contributing.
• Cancer charities and Government have become involved as well.
• The Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, the HPA, the Leukaemia Research Fund Children with Leukaemia and various research councils are all currently involved in EMF research.
• The world’s largest ever EMF epidemiological study of childhood cancer was conducted in the UK with industry funding but scientific independence
• National Grid supports an independent biological research trust.

Types of research on EMFs

There are three main types of research we can do to find out if EMFs cause disease: epidemiological, theoretical, and biological. Often, in EMF, suggestions of health effects come from epidemiology and are not supported by robust biology or by a plausible mechanism. We need to look at all three types of research to draw sound conclusions.

Research ethics

As with research into any other public health issue, there is a risk that research on EMFs, if communicated to the public in a misleading, unbalanced or sensationalist way, could cause unjustified concern or anxiety. The way to avoid this is to follow the accepted standards for disseminating research, in particular, the element of peer-review publication.

EMF research supported by the UK electricity industry

The UK electricity industry has supported the following EMF research (more detail is available on all these):

• The UKCCS
• A Cohort of electricity industry workers
• The EMF Biological Research Trust
• CCRG study of power lines and childhood cancer
• SAHSU study of power lines and adult cancer
• Study of sources of high fields in homes

Other EMF research in the UK
Here are links to some of the other organisations in the UK active in EMF research:

• The HPA
  A well as providing advice and exposure guidelines, the HPA also perform research themselves
  
• The Department of Health
  The DH Radiation Effects Programme supports research into radiation generally, including some on EMFs
  
• The University of Bristol
  The Human Radiation Effects Group under Professor Henshaw research the area of electric fields and airborne pollutants. In the Medical Physics Department, a group under Professor Preece research on effects in humans.
  
• Childhood Cancer Research Group
  See above

Other EMF research internationally

Research into EMFs goes on in many different countries and in many different institutions. We cannot list them all here but here are links to some of the more important ones. In addition, WHO maintain a database of EMF research

• The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
  This is a research institute supported by many American electricity companies, most of whom do not do their own research. National Grid are also members of EPRI.
  
• The RAPID programme
  This USA programme has now finished, but was a major programme on EMFs in the 1990s, funded jointly by Government and industry.
  
• The REFLEX programme is a major European research programme.

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