Continuing Studies on EMF Effects

Re “Study Fails to Link EMFs With Illnesses,” Nov. 1:

The report from the National Academy of Sciences stated that there is no “convincing” evidence that electromagnetic fields cause cancer. That report covered published research data only up to 1995.

Congress established, through the National Energy Policy Act of October 1992, a $65-million five-year research program to determine whether EMFs are a health hazard to the public. The National Electric and Magnetic Fields Advisory Committee (advisory to the secretary of energy and the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health) was created to oversee the expenditure of this money for research. As funding was not received until late 1994, the research has two more years to run before the data are completed and the results peer-reviewed and published. In addition, there are two breast cancer studies in progress under other programs whose results are not anticipated for another two years. Therefore, the NAS conclusions seem to be premature.

The mechanism for how smoking causes lung cancer was just discovered last month--after 50 years of research. It is to be hoped that EMF research will not take as long. Until then, for the sake of scientific knowledge and public protection we urge continuing research.

SHIRLEY D. LINDE

Chairperson, NEMFAC

Los Angeles