Publications on high frequency fields

Statements and publications of BfS regarding "high frequency electromagnetic fields"

BfS issues publications and statements on specific topics regarding "high frequency electromagnetic fields".

Publication: Mobile Telecommunication – Risk Discourse in Science, Politics and Public

ITAS, the Institute For Technology Assessment And Systems Analysis, published a focus about „Mobile Telecommunication – Risk Discourse in Science, Politics and Public“ („TECHNIKFOLGENABSCHÄTZUNG – Theorie und Praxis“ (Nr. 3, 17. Jahrgang, Dezember 2008). more...

Informationsveranstaltung „Mobilfunk und Gesundheit: Aktuelles aus der Wissenschaft – Fachleute des BfS beantworten Ihre Fragen“ am 25. Juni 2009 in München

Am 25. Juni 2009 fand die Informationsveranstaltung „Mobilfunk und Gesundheit: Aktuelles aus der Wissenschaft – Fachleute des BfS beantworten Ihre Fragen“ in der Hochschule München statt. Das BfS bot mit dieser kostenlosen Veranstaltung der interessierten Öffentlichkeit sowie den mit diesem Thema beruflich Befassten die Möglichkeit, sich über Ergebnisse des Deutschen Mobilfunk Forschungsprogramms (DMF) zu informieren und damit verbunden einen Einblick in die Themen „Elektromagnetische Felder“, „Mobilfunk“ und „Wissenschaftliche Arbeit“ zu erhalten. more...

Comments on the Danish cohort study on mobile phones

The present study is an extended follow-up of a nationwide cohort of 420,095 Danish persons whose first cellular telephone subscription was between 1982 and 1995 and who were followed through 2002 for cancer incidence. The observed number of cancers in the cohort was compared with those expected in the Danish population. There was no evidence for an increased tumour risk due to cellular telephone use among either short-term or long-term users. Potential limitations of this study concern exposure-misclassification due to the use of subscriber data only and the exclusion of occupational users. Overall results are quite consistent to those of other published studies, at least for short-term users. Still unclear is the situation for long-term users. Results of larger or pooled studies are necessary. more...

Exposure of persons using mobile phones in locations with metallic walls (e.g. cars, railway wagons)

Triggered by the publication "Rising level of public exposure to mobile phones: Accumulation through additivity and reflectivity." Journal of the Physical Society of Japan. Vol. 71(2), pp 432-435, 2002 (Tsuyoshi Hondou) BfS states that the assumptions made by the author are not realistic especially in terms of neglecting attenuation of radio waves by objects and subjects within the passenger compartment. With realistic assumptions a violation of safety limits seems to be extremely unlikely. more...

Statement on the Article “Cancer Incidence of Residents Living in the Vicinity of a Mobile Phone Base Station in Westphalia” Issued in the Magazine Umwelt-Medizin-Gesellschaft, Volume 1/2009 by Eger et al.

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) makes the following statement on the Article “Cancer Incidence of Residents Living in the Vicinity of a Mobile Phone Base Station in Westphalia” issued in the magazine Umwelt-Medizin-Gesellschaft, volume 1/2009 by Eger et al. Like the so-called “Naila Study” published by Dr. Eger in 2004, this pilot study does show considerable methodical problems, too, so that it cannot be attributed any relevance with respect to a cause-effect relation. As was already mentioned in the BfS statement on the so-called “Naila Study”, one can only urgently advise against carrying out such studies covering only small areas without having the scientific competence in the field of epidemiology. No conclusion whatsoever can be drawn from the results of such studies. more...

Health Effects of TETRA

At present, a standard voice and data radio communication system for security authorities and organisations (digital radio BOS) according to the TETRA standard is introduced nation-wide in the Federal Republic of Germany by the Federal Institution for Digital Radio of Security Authorities and Organisations (BDBOS). The current state of knowledge of possible health effects due to this technology gained from scientific literature is briefly summarised here (only in German). more...

Scientific evidence concerning health hazards from wireless communication technologies - Federal Government’s answer to the question of the German Parliament fraction of DIE LINKE

In July 2008, the Parliamentary Group of the Bundestag DIE LINKE asked the Federal Government about the protective effect of the limit values of the 26th BImSchV (26th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act), on reports of organizations critical to mobile telecommunication, and on reports of affected persons and doctors concerning mobile phone transmitters and DECT phones. The answer of the questions is partly based on the results of the German Mobile Telecommunication Research Programme and on an expert workshop more...

Statement on the topic „Influence of Mobile Phone Use on Male Fertility”

There is a controversial discussion whether mobile phone use does influence male fertil-ity. Davoudi et al. (2002) were the first to report that the frequent use of a GSM mobile phone reduces the motility of sperms, taking as an example a group of 13 healthy men. Further examinations of male volunteers and animals followed. BfS summarises the re-sults and evaluates them. more...

Federal Office for Radiation Protection: Special Mobile Phones for Children are not Appropriate

First “Blue Angel” for a low radiation mobile phone: BfS has demanded for years that especially low radiation mobile phones with an SAR value below 0.6 W / kg should be awarded with the eco-label “Blue Angel”. So far manufacturers have declined this. However, BfS criticises that with this first awarding of the “Blue Angel” a mobile phone has been awarded which explicitly addresses the target group of children and whose SAR value is just below 0.6 W / kg. more...

Results of the Representative Survey of the Year 2006 Relating to the Perception of Mobile Telecommunication and Comparative Results of the Years 2003 to 2006

The 2006 survey is the last one in a series of annual surveys carried out by Infas Institute for Applied Social Sciences on behalf of the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection. The survey focussed on the use of mobile phones and cordless telephones in the general public, awareness of mobile phone transmitters in the vicinity, type and extent of concern and health impairments due to electromagnetic fields from mobile telecommunication as well as knowledge and application of precautions. Any changes throughout the period under investigation were closely examined. more...

List of questions posed by the Bavarian Parliament on the “Impact of mobile telephone services on the population’s well-being”

On December 7, 2006 the Environment and Consumer Protection Committee at the Bavarian Parliament held a hearing on the topic “Impact of mobile telephone services on the population’s well-being”. more...

Studies which have aroused public interest

Several studies and reports regarding the subject “Possible health effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields” primarily of mobile telecommunication have been published during the last years. They aroused public interest and caused controversial discussions. These studies were listed and their basic statements quoted and evaluated by BfS. more...

Comments to the Article: "Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Cell Phone Use and Behavioral Problems in Children"

Possible associations between prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phones and behavioural problems in young children were examined by means of survey information. 13,159 Mothers who were recruited to the Danish National Birth Cohort in early pregnancy submitted questionnaires in 2005 and 2006 on both the current health and behavioural status of their children when they reached 7 years of age and on past cell phone usage. It was found that exposure to cell phones prenatally and, to a lesser extend, postnatally was associated with behavioural difficulties such as emotional and hyperactivity problems occurring at the age of school entry. The observed associations may be non-causal and may be due to unmeasured confounding facto. more...

Report by the German Government on Research Results related to the Options for Lowering the Emission from Mobile Communication Technology and Possible Health Risks

The German Government monitors and accompanies the political and scientific discussion on the possible health risks of electromagnetic fields with great interest. In 2001 it set forth precautionary measures in the field of mobile telecommunication systems, which has intensified research in this field. more...

Mobilfunk: Wie funktioniert das eigentlich?

Die Broschüre "Mobilfunk: Wie funktioniert das eigentlich?" gibt Tipps und Informationen zum Umgang mit dem Mobiltelefon. Sie liegt als PDF-Datei vor und kann auf der folgenden Seite heruntergeladen werden. more...

Contact information/legal notice | Contacts | State of 2010/03/17