THz-Bridge-Workshop Presentation of COST 281: „Challenge through new technologies“ September, 30th – October, 2nd 2002 Palazzo dei Congressi - Capri - Italy

The „Research Agenda“ - Emerging Technologies - Current research activities - Ongoing research and funding - Actual state of knowledge - Priorities for further research

ELF RF Micro- waves Infra- red UV x-Ray, Gamma Radiation Static Field km0,3 µm0,3 mm30 cm300 m300 km 0,3 nm 1 Hz 1 KHz1 MHz1 GHz1 THz1 PHz Hz Non ionizingIonizing Frequency Wavelength 1203, ,7 Photon Energy (eV)

The „Research Agenda“ Video Conferences Video Consultation Hours Films on Demand TV live from all over the world Video-Mail Online Learning Entertainment for Car Drivers in Traffic Jams Mobile Internet Online Banking Electronic Commerce Traffic Information Online Games Live Radio Music-Player and Downloads Video Control Messages (SMS) Stock Quotations and News online Phone Calls Low Speed (Mobile Radio today) Medium Speed (GPRS/WAP) High Speed (UMTS) New Opportunities in Mobile Radio Applications

What public is simply adressing? (1) What research is there into EMF health effects? Which evidence is given by different reseach approaches? What is the extent of research: Compared to other research areas, are there more or rather less studies? What are the findings regarding EMF effects on living organisms? Is there any proof of EMF effects on living organisms? Does research show how effects occur and how to access their health relevance? Is the overall impression given by findings explicit or rather contradictory?

What public is simply adressing? (2) How reliable is current knowledge? Is present knowledge sufficient or are there still too many unanswered questions? Where are gaps of knowledge and what should be the focus of research? Does current research provide no/little/sufficient/complete safety regarding health protection?

What public is simply adressing? (3) Are there health damaging effects? Are EMF effects supposed to have no health damaging consequences at all? Or are effects shown without definitely knowing about health relevance? Or are health hazards supposed to be proven? Are present standards sufficient? How are standards set? How are different sensitivity levels of people taken into consideration? Are present standards sufficient? How are standards adapted to the latest development in research?

Aim of all Research Activities should be to gather knowledge about influence and effects of EMF on human beings and environment to explore potential mechanisms. Research Initiatives Who is working on the EMF issue? National research programmes and institutions International EMF programmes

Examples for Research Initiatives WHO: EMF Project EU: Fifth Framework FGF ICNIRP COST 281

Funds spent for research (1) Funds spent for research (1) OrganisationProjectPeriodBudget World Health Organisation The international Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project Mio. US $ European Commission and national institutions of SWISS, AUSTRIA, FINLAND, GERMANY, FRANCE „REFLEX“ „PERFORM-A“ „CEMFEC“ of ICNIRP of IARC ,15 Mio € 7,86 Mio € 1,3 Mio € 0,058 Mio € 7.35 Mio € USA Departement of Energy National Institute if Environmental Health Sciences EMF-RAPID (Research and public Information Dissemination Program) Mio US $ USA Public Utilities CommissionCalifornia EMF Program Mio US $

Funds spent for research (2) 5 Mio US $2002USAF RF Research Program: Biomolecular and subcellular RF bioeffects USA Air Force Office of Scientific Research 5,2 Mio US $ Epidemiological studiesJAPAN University of Tokyo and others Ministry of Post and Telecommunications 1 Mio €per yearHuman and Animal dosimetric and cancer studies FRANCE National Research and Safety Institue Ministry of Health National Academy of Sciences National telecommunications companies BudgetPeriodProjectOrganisation 2

Funds spent for research (3) 8,5 Mio € 2 Mio € 5 Mio € 10 Mio € Mobile phone health issues: Dosimetry, in vivo and in vitro biological investigations, epidemiology Drittmittelforschung, Kolloguien, Seminare GERMANY Federal Office for Radiation Protection Federal Ministry of research Federal Ministry of economic affairs FGF 10 Mio US $ Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research UK Government and industry 4 Mio US $per yearResearch on mobile phone safetyAUSTRALIA National Health and Medical Research Council 2,2 Mio € Health risks from military antennas and radars NORWAY Norwegian Navy Norwegian Cancer Registry BudgetPeriodProjectOrganisation 3 Source: „Bioelectromagnetics Newsletter“ and „Microwave News“

European Commission Fifth Framework Programme for Research ( ) Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources KEY ACTION 4 Environment and Health Theme 1

KEY ACTION 4: ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH Objectives and Deliverables are: ? Reduction of health effects (including allergies) as related to environmental factors ? Assessment and reduction of environmental health hazards ? Support to health and environmental policy-making and public information

COST 281 – Participation in workshop EUROPEAN COMMISSION November 30th, 2001: „Electromagnetic Fields and Health - Which Regulatory Framework for the European Community?“

Cooperation in Science and Technology In 2001, a new COST programme was proposed to the European Union. This proposal, COST 281, concerning the „Biomedical effects of electromagnetic fields“ was adopted in March 2001 and should help foster research efforts in Europe. It is the continuation of the Cost 244 and COST 244bis actions. More emphasis has been put in its third study periode on mobile communications since COST 244 was placed under the umbrella of the Technical Committee for Telecommunications of the European Commission.

Memorandum of Understanding – COST281 action The main objective is to obtain a better understanding of possible health impacts of emerging technologies, that may result in exposure to electromagnetic fields The MoU will remain in force for a period of 5 years

Functional alteration Organ Total Body Cell Membrane Behaviour, Healing, Cancer? Molecule Excitation, Proliferation, Activaton... Receptor-Activation,Transport... Biological Amplification Thermal and nonthermal Interactions of High Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Polarization, Phase Transitions Atomar and Molecular Reactions F i e l d S t r e n g t h Non-Thermal Interaction (specific) Thermal Interaction (non specific) Heating (grad T?) S A R Polarization, Heating (grad T?) M i c r o - d o s i m e t r y

Biological Effects of Radio Waves Investigations on different levels: Cells and tissue tissue Cell-biological Investigations Epidemiological Studies PopulationPopulation MoleculesMolecules Biochemical and Molecularbiological Investigations Animal (and Human) Experiments IndividualsIndividuals

Scientific programme Monitor development of emerging technologies where major changes in public or occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields are likely Investigate the possibility of health issues related to such exposures, and, where appropriate, define specific research efforts that may be needed Evaluate the scientific basis for new exposure situation and/or health issues. Co-operation with other international bodies having similar aims will be important

Scientific Research at the Crossroads Risk Assessment For each emerging technology using well-established research methods Basic Research Increasing efforts towards basic research in order to gain compre- hensive knowledge of possible biological interaction mechanism Advantages deals with the specific relevant issue comprehensive understanding of biological coherence Disadvantages for each new technology and applications new testing takes time and efforts

Dissemination of the results Workshops and seminars, where the target audience is expected to be primarily researchers Newsletters and proceedings from these workshops, where the target audience is composed of researchers as well as representatives of national or local health authorities, industry representatives, consumer organisations etc. A web-page, with primarily similar target audiences as above, but where the possibility of additional audiences should be encouraged Summary reports and publications to policy makers, which should be made available also to the general public. In these summary reports, main scientific publications that has arisen from the Action will be listed and briefly described

COST 281 – Workshop Dresden

Newsletter COST 281

„Experts“ who talk rubbish - What is expertise? - Who is a so-called „expert“? - Why is an interdisciplinary approach necessary? - Which role does media play? - What can public expect for the future?

Some Guidance for Seriousness in Research Reporting - Research is preliminary financed by the public (taxes, donation, gifts, voluntary contributions) - Research takes time - Research results must be seen very critically - Research results must be reproduceable - Pilot studies should be estimated as such - Research results must fit in a general overall understanding

Research requirements Science cannot prove: there is no risk Research should be of highest quality and directly relevant to human health All studies should be done in „double blind“ manner Single studies with positive effects should be bear replications The dosimetry and exposure system should be clearly defined and it is a „must“ that the design and testing of the exposure systems is well documented Experimental results and environmental factors should be monitored and controlled All testing should be done against a well pre-defined hypothesis

Prerequisites for scientific work Development of an evaluated database system for review and assessment of literature Experimental set-up for studying electromagnetic alternating fields Development of a guideline for experiments investigating the effects of high frequency EMF on biological systems Quality assurements (oriented at GLP)

Prerequisites for scientific work Structuring of research projects: It is of importance to determine, prior to experiments, the intentions of the studies and the working hypothesis on which they are based. Biosystems in RF electromagnetic fields are a very complex research subject with a high degree of variability of the different experimental parameters.

Conclusions - The research agenda is not concluded - Research activities should be more coordinated - Further activities in research are needed - The public should be adressed more seriously - Judgement of scientific knowledge should be done more on international basis - Thermal effects are well established and form the biological basis for restricting exposure to radiofrequency fields

COST 281 Secretariat c/o Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk Rathausgasse 11a D Bonn, Germany Phone:+49 (0)228 / Fax: +49 (0)228 / Internet: For further informations please contact directly: Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk