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World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer 

In 2011, radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) were classified as a Group 2B possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO/IARC). The WHO/IARC scientists clarified that their determination was for RF-EMF from any source be it cell phones, wireless devices, cell towers or any other type of wireless equipment. Since 2011, the published peer-reviewed scientific evidence associating RF-EMF (also known as RF-EMR and RFR) to cancer and other adverse effects has significantly increased. 

 

A large-scale animal study published in Environmental Research found rats exposed to cell tower emission RF levels had elevated cancers, the very same cancers also found in the US National Toxicology Program animal study of cell phone level RF that found “clear evidence” of cancer in carefully controlled conditions Falcioni 2018.

 

In 2019, the WHO/IARC advisory committee recommended that radiofrequency radiation be re-evaluated as a “high” priority in light of the new research. The date of the re-evaluation has not been set. 

 

Currently, several scientists conclude that the weight of currently available, peer-reviewed evidence supports the conclusion that radiofrequency radiation is a proven human carcinogen (Hardell and Carlberg 2017, Peleg et al. 2022, Miller et al. 2018).

Published Research Studies

 

  • European Parliament requested a research report “Health Impact of 5G” which was released in July 2021 and concluded that commonly used RFR frequencies (450 to 6000 MHz) are probably carcinogenic for humans and clearly affect male fertility with possible adverse effects on the development of embryos, fetuses and newborns. 
  • A review entitled “Evidence for a health risk by RF on humans living around mobile phone base stations: From radiofrequency sickness to cancer reviewed the existing scientific literature and found radiofrequency sickness, cancer and changes in biochemical parameters (Balmori 2022).
  • A study published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine found changes in blood considered biomarkers predictive of cancer in people living closer to cell antenna arrays (Zothansiama 2017). 
  • A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found higher exposure to cell network arrays linked to higher mortality from all cancer and specifically lung and breast cancer (Rodrigues 2021).
  • A 10-year study published in Science of the Total Environment on cell phone network antennas by the local Municipal Health Department and several universities in Brazil found a clearly elevated relative risk of cancer mortality at residential distances of 500 meters or less from cell phone towers (Dode 2011).  
  • A study commissioned by the Government of Styria, Austria found a significant cancer incidence in the area around the RF transmitter as well as significant exposure-effect relationships between radiofrequency radiation exposure and the incidence of breast cancers and brain tumors (Oberfeld 2008).
  • A review published in Experimental Oncology found “alarming epidemiological and experimental data on possible carcinogenic effects of long term exposure to low intensity microwave (MW) radiation.” A year of operation of a powerful base transmitting station for mobile communication reportedly resulted in a dramatic increase of cancer incidence among the population living nearby (Yakymenko 2011).