J. C. Lin, “Science, Politics, and Groupthink [Health Matters],” in IEEE Microwave Magazine, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 24-26, May 2021, doi: 10.1109/MMM.2021.3056975.
Abstract: Discusses how the COVID-19 health pandemic worldwide was complicated by not only health and medical concerns, but the inclusion of politics, conspiracy theories, and social media.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9393739
Extract
Recently, a privately constituted group, with self-appointed membership, published a set of guidelines for limiting exposure to RF electromagnetic fields in the 100-kHz and 300-GHz frequency range [7]. The proposed guidelines were primarily based on the tissue-heating potentials of RF radiation to elevate animal body temperatures to greater than 1° C.
While recognizing that the two aforementioned studies used large numbers of animals, best laboratory practice, and animals exposed for the entirety of their lives, the private group preferred to quibble with alleged “chance differences” between treatment conditions and the fact that the measured animal body core temperature changes reached 1° C, implying that a 1° C body core temperature rise is carcinogenic, ignoring the RF exposure.
The group then pronounced that, when considered either in isolation or within the context of other animal carcinogenicity research, these findings do not provide evidence that RF radiation is carcinogenic.
Furthermore, the group noted that, even though many epidemiological studies of RF radiation associated with mobile phone use and cancer risk had been performed, studies on brain tumors, acoustic neuroma, meningioma, and parotid gland tumors had not provided evidence of an increased cancer risk. It suggested that, although somewhat elevated odds ratios were observed, inconsistencies and limitations, including recall or selection bias, precluded these results from being considered for setting exposure guidelines.
The simultaneous penchant to dismiss and criticize positive results and the fondness for and eager acceptance of negative findings are palpable and concerning.
In contrast, the IARC’s evaluation of the same epidemiological studies ended up officially classifying RF radiation as possibly carcinogenic to humans [2], [3].
An understandable question that comes to mind is this: How can there be such divergent evaluations and conclusions of the same scientific studies?
When confronted with such divergent assessments of science, the ALARA— as low as reasonably achievable—practice and principle should be followed for RF health and safety.
https://www.emfsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/09393739.pdf
Added note by EMFSA:
Lin was a member of ICNIRP, 2004-2016. He is the editor-in-chief of Bioelectromagnetics.