Letters to And From Councilwoman Denise Ricciardi of the New Hampshire Commission on 5G
Download Letters to And From Councilwoman Denise Ricciardi of the New Hampshire Commission on 5G
to Dr. Barrington and Dr. Hoover of the National Cancer Institute
From: NCI Information <nciinfo@nih.gov>
Date: July 30, 2020 at 2:51:16 PM EDT
To: Bedford Town Council Member Denise Ricciardi of the New Hampshire 5G Commission
Subject: Important questions that need to be answered.
Reply-To: “NCI Information” <nciinfo@nih.gov>
Subject
Important questions that need to be answered.
Response By Email (NCI Agent) (07/30/2020 11:51 AM)
Dear Ms. Ricciardi:
I received your follow-up inquiry requesting an answer to each question listed in your email. Please see below:
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 1.What is the National Cancer Institute opinion on the safety of 5G, 4G and cell towers? If you have one, please share your scientific documentation.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As a Federal research agency, the NCI is not involved in the regulation of radiofrequency telecommunications infrastructure and devices, nor do we make recommendations for policies related to this technology. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are the responsible federal agencies with authority to issue opinions on the safety of these exposures. Rather, NCI gathers and reviews published findings of well-conducted studies with a focus on cancer in humans in the medical literature and makes summaries available on its website and fact sheets.
According to the FCC certain agencies in the Federal Government have been involved in monitoring, researching or regulating issues related to human exposure to radiofrequency radiation. These agencies include the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safe and Health (NIOSH), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Defense (DOD).
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 2.Has NCI staff done a systematic research review of the research on wireless radiation?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
Experts at the NCI review the research on radiofrequency radiation and other types of non-ionizing radiation electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in order to maintain our fact sheets on these topics. Other federal agencies have the responsibility to formally review the research on these exposures, specifically the FDA and FCC.
Denise Ricciardi Question 3.What is the NCI opinion on the safety of cell phones? If you have one, please share your scientific documentation.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The FDA and FCC are the responsible federal agencies with authority to issue opinions on the safety of these exposures. As a Federal research agency, the NCI is not involved in the regulation of radiofrequency telecommunications infrastructure and devices, nor do we make recommendations for policies related to this technology.
The NCI gathers and reviews published findings of well-conducted studies in the medical literature on cell phones and cancer risk. The NCI fact sheet “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” outlines the available evidence from human and animal studies regarding cancer risk and cell/mobile telephones. It includes references and the citations are at the bottom of the document.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 4.Does the NCI recommend that parents teach their children to reduce exposure to cell phone radiation? Does the NCI think it is not necessary to take precautions and that information on reducing exposure is only for “concerned” people? Or does the NCI recommend all parents educate their children to reduce exposure and that they themselves reduce exposure to their children?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As noted above, the NCI does not make recommendations or issue guidelines. The fact sheet “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” does include information from the FDA about ways cell phone users—children, teenagers or adults—can reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation. The FDA suggests that cell phone users reserve the use of cell phones for shorter conversations or for times when a landline phone is not available; and use a device with hands-free technology, such as wired headsets, which place more distance between the phone and the head of the user.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 5.Did the NCI review in a systematic way the research on impacts of wireless and cell towers to trees and plants? If not, what agency is responsible for ensuring wireless signals are safe for trees and plants?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI is not charged with researching the impact of wireless technology and cell towers on trees and plants. NCI is not aware of any Federal agency mandated to ensure wireless signals are safe for trees and plants.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 6.Did the NCI review in a systematic way the research on cell towers and how wireless antennas impact birds. If not, what agency is responsible for ensuring wireless signals are safe for birds?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI is not charged with researching the impact of wireless technology and cell towers on birds. The NCI is not aware of any Federal agency mandated to ensure wireless signals are safe birds.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 7.Did the NCI review in a systematic way the research on impact to bees and insects. If not, what agency is responsible for ensuring wireless signals are safe for insects and bees?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI is not charged with researching the impact of wireless technology on bees and other insects. The NCI is not aware of any Federal agency mandated to ensure wireless signals are safe for bees and other insects.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 8. Does the NCI only focus on cancer as a health effect?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
Yes. In addition, by law, U.S. population-based cancer registries must collect information on benign brain tumors and the NCI fact sheet “Cell Phones and Cancer Risks” describes findings for meningioma, acoustic neuroma and other benign brain and central nervous system tumors.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 9.The NCI does not present the findings of the NTP as “clear evidence of cancer” but simply states of the findings that “The primary outcomes observed were a small number of cancers of Schwann cells in the heart and non-cancerous changes (hyperplasia>) in the same tissues for male rats, but not female rats, nor in mice overall.” Why doesn’t the NCI present the findings of DNA damage on their webpage as it is published and was found in rats and mice. In addition cardiomyopathy was found. Why isn’t this presented on the NCI webpage?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The focus of the fact sheet “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” is limited to cancer risk. As you noted, the fact sheet provided an overview of the primary outcomes found in the National Toxicology Program (NTP) study. These findings are reported on the NTP website A link to this information was included in the fact sheet for those who wish to know more about the NTP study.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 10.The FDA disagrees with the National Toxicology Program findings of clear evidence of cancer. What is the NCI position on the determination of “clear evidence”?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI does not comment on the cancer evaluation criteria of other organizations or how researchers use these definitions in their analysis. You may find useful a critical evaluation of the NTP study that was conducted by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 11.Is there evidence that heating can cause cancer? That elevated temperatures can induce cancer?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
There is no current evidence that elevated temperatures or heating is a risk factor for cancer.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 12.Has the NCI reviewed in a systematic way the research on impacts to the nervous system?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI fact sheet on “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” provides a summary review of most epidemiologic studies of cell phone use and brain and other central nervous system tumors. Most of the studies are case-control studies. Details are provided on the three most impactful studies, including the 13-country, case-control Interphone study, the large national Danish cohort study, and the Million Women United Kingdom cohort study.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 13.Does the NCI believe the current limits protect the public, children, pregnant women and medically vulnerable from health effects after long term exposure. Please provide documentation for each group, children, pregnant women and medically vulnerable that shows research ensuring safety.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI does not regulate issues related to human exposure to radiofrequency radiation.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 14.We know that the NCI is aware that cell phones can violate FCC SAR limits at body contact on high power. The FDA has written that because there is a safety factor. What is the safety factor for the SAR the FDA relies on? Do you know?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for cell phones with the FCC. The FCC certifies wireless devices, and all phones that are sold in the United States must comply with FCC guidelines on radiofrequency exposure. The FDA also has the authority to take action if cell phones are shown to emit radiofrequency energy at a level that is hazardous to the user.
In addition, the FDA is responsible for protecting the public from harmful radiation emissions from consumer products such as microwave ovens, televisions, and computer monitors. You may wish to contact the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health’s Office of Compliance at 301–594–4654, for information about SAR guidelines used in cell phones.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 15. Will the NCI be taking action to inform the public about this? If not, please explain why not.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
NCI staff are committed to regularly reviewing the published findings of well-conducted studies on cancer and making them available on a timely basis to the public through our online fact sheets. As noted above, the NCI continues to make this information available on its website Cancer.gov, the Institute’s primary resource in informing the public about cancer research. The NCI gathers and reviews published findings of well-conducted studies in the medical literature on cell phones and cancer risk. The NCI fact sheet “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” outlines the available evidence from human and animal studies regarding cancer risk and cell/mobile telephones. As also noted above, the NCI has conducted a review of the research on radiofrequency radiation and other types of non-ionizing radiation electromagnetic fields (EMFs), available in the fact sheet “Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer.” NCI will continue to update these factsheets as new relevant studies are published in the peer-reviewed literature.
Our sister agencies, the FDA as well as the FCC, retain responsibility for reviewing guidance on safety concerns and informing the public if those circumstances change.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 16.What actions specifically is the NCI doing now in regards to 5G and cell phone radiation in terms of research review?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As noted above, the NCI regularly reviews the published findings of studies on cancer and makes them available to the public.
Additionally, given the multi-year latency of brain tumors and most other solid tumors and the need to carefully consider the optimal study design, it would be premature to begin development of a protocol for studying the relation between 5G exposures and cancer risk before 5G systems are implemented. We are in close communication with other epidemiologists and dosimetrists working on radiofrequency exposures and cancer risks. We continue to carefully monitor research in this area.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 17.Does the NCI evaluate the safety of 5G cell antennas? If so how? If not, what health agency is ensuring that 5G cell antennas are safe for people, wildlife and trees.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The FCC is responsible for developing guidelines for human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, which includes antennas.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 18.Cell phones and wireless devices emit several types of nonionizing radiation in addition to radiofrequency radiation. For example the devices emit magnetic fields and when a pregnant woman holds a laptop on her lap the measured fields can be high even into the baby. What agency ensures safety related to extremely low frequency (ELF-EMF) electromagnetic fields- also nonionizing? Currently we have no federal limit, no federal guidelines and confirmed associations with cancer and many other health effects. Kaiser Permanente researchers have published several studies linking pregnant women’s exposure to magnetic field electromagnetic fields to not only increased miscarriage and but also increased ADHD, obesity and asthma in the woman’s prenatally exposed children. A recent large-scale study again found associations with cancer. Where is the NCI presentation of this research for the public?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As noted above, the FDA is responsible for protecting the public from radiation emissions from consumer products such as microwave ovens, televisions, and computer monitors. You may wish to contact the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health’s Office of Compliance at 301–594–4654, for information about research on this topic.
Our sister institute, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) another part of the NIH, investigates human development throughout the entire life process, with a focus on understanding disabilities and important events that occur during pregnancy. You may wish contact to the NICHD for information about radiofrequency radiation exposure and human development. NICHD can be contacted by email at NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov<mailto:NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov>.
NCI staff are committed to regularly reviewing the published findings of well-conducted studies on cancer and making them available on a timely basis to the public through our online fact sheets.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 19. Will the NCI be sharing and recommending how to reduce ELF- EMF Exposure?
Please clarify which US agency has jurisdiction over ELF-EMF exposures?
Please clarify which US agency has authority to set limits for ELF-EMF exposures? As far as we know there is no limit in the USA for this type of exposure.
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
According to the fact sheet “Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer ” sources of ELF-EMFs include power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical appliances such as shavers, hair dryers, and electric blankets.
As noted above, the NCI is not responsible for setting limits for ELF-EMF or any other exposure. Manufacturers of electronic radiation emitting products sold in the United States are responsible for compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), Chapter V Subchapter C – Electronic Product Radiation Control.
The U.S. Congress created the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ (NIEHS) EMF Research and Public Information Dissemination (RAPID) Program in 1992 to study whether exposure to EMFs produced by the generation, transmission, or use of electric power posed a risk to human health. Although this program has ended, the NIEHS continues to study EMFs. For more information, please see the NIEHS website.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 20.Who are the NCI staff who have expertise on this issue at the NCI? What NCI staff is in the Interagency workgroup and where can we access the minutes and work of this group?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
The content on the NCI’s website Cancer.gov related to this topic is authored and maintained by NCI staff. The information on this site is science-based, authoritative, and up to date. Medical experts, cancer researchers, and editors review the content before it is published to the website.
Within the NCI, several research divisions conduct or fund extramural research to discover the genetic and environmental determinants of cancer and new approaches to cancer prevention, including the impacts of ionizing and nonionizing radiation. Epidemiologists also monitor cancer incidence trends for potentially relevant malignancies using U.S.-based cancer registries such as the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, and periodically review the scientific peer-reviewed literature in this area.
If you are compiling a list of EMF experts to contact, it is important to note that NCI scientists receive many requests for interviews or for advice with projects. All such inquiries should be directed to the NCI Office of Communications and Public Liaison through the NCI contact page<mailto:https//www.cancer.gov/contact>; found on Cancer.gov.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 21.The FCC decided not to update their limits on wireless but the NCI did not submit an opinion to the FCC. Why not?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As noted above, the NCI does not make recommendations for policies on wireless technology.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 22.Will the NCI be submitting an opinion to the FCC about the higher frequencies to be used in 5G?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
As noted above, the NCI does not make recommendations for policies on wireless technology.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 23. The American Cancer Society funded research by Yale that found cancer after cell phone radiation exposure. See it here Thyroid Cancer, Genetic Variations, and Cell Phones Linked in New Yale School of Public Health Study What is the NCI opinion?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
NCI staff are committed to regularly reviewing the published findings of well-conducted studies on cancer and making them available on a timely basis to the public through our online fact sheets.
Councilmember Denise Ricciardi Question 24. Will you be updating your webpage with information on thyroid cancer and on genetic susceptibility as found by the Yale study?
Response from the National Cancer Institute:
Response from the National Cancer Institute: NCI staff are committed to regularly reviewing the published findings of well-conducted studies on cancer and making them available on a timely basis to the public through our online fact sheets.
Sincerely yours,
Bill RobinsonOffice of Communications and Public Liaison National Cancer Institute
Previous email exchanges show the NCI attempted not to answer her questions.
Customer By CSS Email (Denise Ricciardi) (07/19/2020 06:55 AM)
Hello,
You did not satisfy the commission. We requested you answer each question point by point. Not a paragraph that does NOT properly answer the questions.
Please go back and answer the questions number one provide the answer number two provide the answer and so on. Please expedite this request, it is urgent for commission.
Thank you,
Denise Ricciardi
Important questions that need to be answered.
Response By Email (NCI Agent) (07/16/2020 11:39 AM)
Dear Ms. Ricciardi:
Your email to Dr. Amy Berrington and Dr. Robert Hoover of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) regarding 5G has been forwarded to this office for reply. In your email, you asked questions about the status of research of the health and environmental effects of 5G (fifth-generation) wireless network technology on people and the natural world and which Federal agencies regulate this technology. We can offer information that you may find useful.
The NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the Federal government’s principal agency for cancer research and training. Part of the NCI’s mission includes gathering and disseminating information about cancer, including risk factors, to the public and medical community through its website, fact sheets, and the NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS). The fact sheets “Cell Phones and Cancer Risk” and “Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer” outline the available evidence from human and animal studies regarding cancer risk and cellular/mobile telephones and low- to medium-frequency electromagnetic fields.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) investigated the health effects in animals exposed to radiofrequency (RF) radiation modulations used in 2G and 3G cell phones. According to the lead toxicologist of the studies, Michael Wyde, Ph.D., “5G is an emerging technology that hasn’t really been defined yet. From what we currently understand, it likely differs dramatically from what we studied.” This comment can be found in the NIH news release about the NTP final reports.
The NCI is committed to reviewing published findings of well-conducted studies in the medical literature and making them available to the public. Sometimes the results of a research study can yield inconsistent and even unanticipated results. Nonetheless, in this way, hypotheses are thoroughly evaluated.
As a Federal research agency, the NCI does not regulate RF electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure or establish guidelines. Within the Federal government, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorizes or licenses most RF telecommunications services, facilities, and devices used by the public, industry and state and local governmental organizations. The FCC is required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, among other things, to evaluate the effect of EMF emissions from FCC-regulated transmitters on the quality of the human environment. This includes cell phones and towers. The FCC Policy on Human Exposure web page includes links to several organizations that have recommendations for human exposure to EMF.
In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shares regulatory responsibilities for cell phones with the FCC. Although cell phones can be sold without FDA clearance or approval, the agency monitors the effects the phones have on health. The FDA has the authority to take action if cell phones are shown to emit RF energy at a level that is hazardous to the user. The FDA recently provided an updated assessment of the current limits of RF energy based on the currently available scientific evidence (see Letter from the FDA to the FCC on Radiofrequency Exposure).
Sincerely yours,
Bill Robinson
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Cancer Institute
