L INTERPETAZIONE DEI DATI SCIENTIFICI: L AZIONE EMF-NET. Paolo Ravazzani

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1 EMF-NET Coordination Action L INTERPETAZIONE DEI DATI SCIENTIFICI: L AZIONE EMF-NET Paolo Ravazzani Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

2 Aims To provide: A framework for the co-ordination of the results of the ongoing research activities on EMF and health (EC projects and other national and international actions) Policy relevant interpretation/advice for the facilitation of policy development options by the EU (and other bodies).

3 Participants About 53 (Contractors and Associated Participants) Scientific community EC Projects Coordinators Representatives of EU research at National level Representatives of other research activities Industry associations Trade Union associations Regulatory bodies (providing advice) Experts Consumer associations (in contact with)

4 Participants Start Date: MAR 01, 2004 End Date: FEB 29, 2008 Duration: 48 months

5 Project Management

6 Workplan MT1: Scientific evaluation of the results of the studies on EMF health effects Main Task Main Task Coordinators Laboratory studies (ELF, RF, IF, THz, IM, medical applications) Epidemiological studies (ELF, RF, OF) Jukka Juutilainen Jochen Buschmann MT2: EMF exposure related risk in MT1 the working environment MT3: Improvement of specific common aspects Elisabeth of the Cardis research on EMF and health MT4: Risk perception and communication MT2 Maria Feychting Jolanta Karpowicz MT5: Observatory functions MT3 Theo Samaras Monitoring emerging technologies Demosthenes Papamelethiou Monitoring EMF research plans in MT4 EU, in Europe and outside Europe Carlos del Pozo Norbert Leitgeb MT5 Bernard Veyret Gyorgy Thuroczy

7 Approach Technical Working Groups of experts Involving more than 80 European and international experts Main Tasks: Analysis of existing reports and activities Identification and definition of Scientific Key Issues and Interpretation Key Issues Preparation of the Interpretation Reports Advisory Board Consultation Process Steering Committee Validation Process Delivery to EC Services and publication

8 Techinical Working Group Activities Baseline TWG members are appointed by the Main Task and WP What are the main Key Issues? Where are we now? What about existing documents? What is missing? Synergies? Duplication risk? How to interpret the research results? managers (after approval by the SC) Action TWG activities are mainly based on the definition of the Options for actions, interpretation and recommendations baseline, Milestones followed for a by European the appropriate consensus actions Next goals and expected achievements Where are we going? Interpretation Reports

9 Scientific evidence? sufficient evidence limited evidence inadequate evidence evidence suggesting lack of effects

10 Sufficient evidence -when a positive relationship is observed between the exposure and the effect investigated. -when the effect is replicated in several studies by independent investigators or under different protocols, and when there is a consistent exposureresponse relationship. -when confounding factors could be ruled outwith reasonable confidence.

11 Limited evidence -when the evidence of the effect is restricted to a few studies, or when there are unsolved questions regarding the adequacyof the design, conduct or interpretation of the study -when in the studies confounding factors could not be ruled outwith reasonable confidence

12 Inadequate evidence -when the studies are of insufficient quality, consistency or statistical power to permit a conclusion

13 Evidence suggesting lack of effects - when no effects are reported in several studiesby independent investigators under different protocols involving at least two species or two cell types and a sufficient range of field intensities

14 Strength of evidence for selected biological effects from exposure to RF fields (EMF-NET Report on RF Cancer, Marino et al., Jan 2006) Type of biological effect and/or potentially affected biological system Evidence for effects (Classification based on studies published by the year 2000) CARCINOGENICITY STUDIES Exposure to RF fields alone Combined exposure to RF fields with a known genotoxic agents Studies exposing genetically especially tumour-prone animals to RF fields Development of transplanted tumours Mortality Evidence suggesting lack of effect: Later studies further strengthens the previous conclusion Inadequate evidence: Later studies do not give support to the suggested association Inadequate evidence: Later studies do not give support to the suggested association Evidence suggesting lack of effect: No relevant recent studies Evidence suggesting lack of effect: Later studies further strengthens the previous conclusion IN VIVO STUDIES ON GENOTOXIC EFFECTS Gene mutations Structural changes at the level of chromosomes:micronucleus DNA Damage/effect assessment Evidence suggesting lack of effect: Later studies further strengthens the previous conclusion Limited evidence: The later studies do not give further support to the suggested association Inadequate/Limited evidence: The later studies do not give further support to the suggested association SOME OTHER POSSIBLY CANCER-RELATED IN VIVO STUDIES Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) Gene expression (Heat Shock Proteins) Inadequate evidence: No relevant studies available Limited evidence: The later studies have given some support to the suggested association

15 Strength of evidence for selected biological effects ELF exposure (EMF-NET Report on ELF, Juutilainen et al., Jan 2006)

16 Report on Evaluation of Relevant Results from Projects on the Effects of IF Exposure (EMF-NET Report, Leitgeb et al., Jan 2006) [ IF are frequencies in the range from 10kHz until 10MHz ] [ An alternative definition is to consider IF as the range betweenextremely low frequencies ( ELF; <300Hz) and RF. For example, WHO and ICNIRP have used the definition 300Hz to 10MHz (ICNIRP 1999; Litvak et. al 2002) ] [ Conclusions For the time being there are no or little research data available for well-founded health risk assessment of IF electromagnetic fields. While there is limited evidence for effects on reproduction and development, evidence is inadequate for other effects (such as carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, nervous system effects and general toxicity). This is in sharp contrast with the large body of data available on the effects ofrf and ELF fields. ]

17 EMF-NET Highest Priority Research Needs Summary Table April 2006 RF electromagnetic fields Prospective cohort studies of mobile phone users Studies on potential health risks from long-term use of mobile phones by children ELF magnetic fields Studies relevant to assess possible causality between ELF magnetic fields and cancer Static magnetic fields IF electromagnetic fields Exposure assessment

18 Outputs Interpretation reports Short reports EFRT Documents Newsletters Proceedings of conferences/workshops Books Information on the activities of European Projects EMF-NET website:

19 Outputs DELIVERABLES / REPORTS MT1: Scientific evaluation of the results of the studies on EMF health effects Laboratory studies (4) Epidemiological studies (7) MT2: EMF exposure related risk in the working environment MT3: Improvement of specific common aspects of the research on EMF and health (3) MT4: Risk perception and communication (1) MT5: Observatory functions Monitoring emerging technologies (3) Monitoring EMF research plans in EU, in Europe and outside Europe (5)

20 Outputs Short Reports Reports on Research Needs I and II [Aug 2005 APR 2006] Reports on EMF and Environment and Health (Scale Project) [spring 2004] Next on EMF-NET Mid-Term Technical Report on Occupational Exposure [expected by MAR 2007] Report on health effects of RF with recommendations for non-ionising radiation protection and research needs (update) (D17_bis) [expected by MAR 2007] RF Effects on RF and reproduction and development (D4_bis) [expected by MAR 2007]

21 European Fast Response Team on EMF and Health A team of scientists, specialized on different aspects of electromagnetic and health studies have been identified to answer to urgent needs of the European Commission services: Elisabeth Cardis Guglielmo D'Inzeo Jukka Juutilainen Jolanta Karpowicz Norbert Leitgeb Demosthenes Papamelethiou Paolo Ravazzani (Coordinator) Paolo Vecchia Bernard Veyret

22 EFRT Fact-sheets on mobile communication issues On mobile communication issues (15): On other issues (3) Fact sheet on Epi Studies on Mobile Phones and Brain Cancers MAR 2007 Lipoatrophia semicircularis and EMF DEC 2006 Fact Sheet on Health Risk Posed by High Voltage Power Lines DEC 2006 Distance from RBS DEC 2006 Effects of EMF on Environment and non-human Organisms SEPT 2005 RFID NOV 2006 Minimum Radio Base safe Stations distance OCT 2006from High Voltage Power Lines Feb 2005 Comments on Hardell study (Int Arch Occup E&H 2006, March 16) APR 2006 Radio Base Stations and noise DEC 2005 Health and safety of mobile communication equipments NOV 2005 Radio Base Stations and brain currents MAY 2005 Wolf and Wolf paper on Radio Base Stations and cancer MAR 2005 Hands-Free Kits for Mobile Phones FEB Report by the Board of NRPB JAN 2005 Health Effects of Telephone Masts DEC 2004 Cellular Phones on Human Fertility JUL 2004 TETRA System MAY 2004

23 Recent Publications Base Stations and Wireless Networks: Exposures and health consequences Editors Mike Repacholi Emilie van Deventer Paolo Ravazzani

24 Recent Events WORKSHOP on Current Trends in Health Risk Assessment of Work-Related Exposure to EMFs MILAN, FEBRUARY 14-16, co-organized with

it co-organized with DG JRC EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE GENERAL JRC JOINT RESEARCH

25 Next on EMF-NET 2 WORKSHOP on EMF Risk Communication: Effective Risk Communication in the Context of Uncertainty Stresa, Maggiore Lake, Italy, May 2-4, 2007 http//emf-net.isib.cnr.it co-organized with DG JRC EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE GENERAL JRC JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE EMF and Health Interpretation Conference (under preparation) Bruxelles January/February 2008

EMF-NET Coordination Action 2004-2008 The Universe is a grand book which cannot be read until one first learns to

26 EMF-NET Coordination Action The Universe is a grand book which cannot be read until one first learns to comprehend the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is composed Galileo Galilei

WHO Research Agenda for RF fields

WHO Research Agenda for RF fields Dr E. van Deventer 1 Outline Introduction The WHO RF Research Agenda Motivation Background Content Discussion 2 3 Established in 1996 Coordinated by WHO HQ (SDE/PHE/RAD)