International Doctor’s Appeal 2012 - 10 Years after Freiburg Appeal:
Wireless radiation poses a health risk. Physicians demand precaution now.
More than 1000 physicians signed the “Freiburg Appeal” in 2002. It was translated into many languages. As many as 36,000 people from all over the world support its warning about the dangers of wireless radiation.
Today-ten years later-we as physicians call again on the international community. We are deeply concerned. Despite all warnings, more and more new wireless technologies are introduced into our lives: cell phone networks, TETRA, LTE, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, baby monitors, wireless meters, digital radio and TV, and many others. All of these wireless technologies overload the biophysical pathways of cell communication in living systems with increasing layers and densities of electromagnetic fields.
Human, animal, and plant life is controlled by naturally occurring electromagnetic fields (EMF) and signals. Technical fields and frequencies can interfere profoundly with the biological processes of cell communication and cell metabolism. Initially, the self-healing power of living beings will compensate for imbalances through finely tuned control mechanisms. Prolonged electromagnetic stress, however, may lead to a chronic lack of energy and resulting diseases.
The consequences of this fundamental impairment of self-regulation have repeatedly been demonstrated in scientific studies: clumping of red blood cells, increased permeability of the protective blood-brain barrier, changes in brain wave activity and heart rhythm, unbalanced release of neurotransmitters and hormones (especially the increase in stress hormones), immune system impairment, damage to the genetic material, lowered fertility, to name only a few of the best known examples. Oxidative cell stress-a major cause of many diseases-has been shown to be the main effect mechanism of radiation exposure.
As physicians, we currently observe a worrisome rise in mental health problems such as depression, burnout syndrome as well as sleep, anxiety, and panic disorders. This also applies to a multitude of other diseases: stroke (also in children and even in fetuses in the womb), degenerative neurological disorders (e.g. dementia, epilepsy, brain tumors), headaches, autism, learning disorders, concentration problems, behavioral disorders, allergies, skin problems, pain syndromes, susceptibility to infections, high blood pressure, metabolic disorders, multi-system disorders, and cancer, to name only the most prominent and most frequent symptoms and disorders.
More and more frequently, we also observe a clear pattern of temporal and spatial relationships between the onset of these symptoms and disorders and the start of a radiation exposure, e.g. in the vicinity of a newly installed cell tower, heavy cell phone use, or the use of a DECT cordless phone, wireless Internet router, or other wireless technology in the home, in a neighbor’s home, or at work.
Children and adolescents especially and increasingly display addictive behavior in the use of their cell phones
and other online devices. According to the latest scientific evidence, they are also the most vulnerable.
The number of those who suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity is steadily growing. Electrosensitive individuals can develop severe symptoms immediately or even several hours after the exposure to technical electromagnetic fields and frequencies. As physicians we welcome that Sweden has recognized electromagnetic hypersensitivity as a functional impairment and has provided protected zones for affected people. We would also like to point out and emphasize that the European Parliament has called on its member states “to follow the example of Sweden” and that U.S. State Governors have raised public awareness about the consequences of electromagnetic hypersensitivity. The initiative of the Austrian Medical Association, which has released a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of electrosensitive individuals, hopefully will also catch on in other countries.
Our medical observations have been confirmed by scientific findings. Adverse effects of electromagnetic fields and the fundamental impairment of biological control mechanisms well below current exposure limits have been demonstrated, and in some instances, for decades. The report of the international BioInitiative Working Group (2007) has documented a multitude of health hazards and risks based on the evaluation of more than 1500 scientific studies. Since then numerous recent studies have confirmed the worrisome results and at the same time have shown that current exposure limits, which are based exclusively on thermal effects, are obsolete. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified RF radiation as a cancer risk in May 2011. And market-leading manufacturers of cell phones (Nokia 2001, Swisscom 2003, etc.) corroborate the association when they justify their patent applications with the argument of cancer risk.
In numerous appeals and resolutions over the past years, more and more scientists and physicians have pointed to the health risks associated with wireless radiation. In 2008 the Russian Radiation Protection Committee gave a warning about the catastrophic consequences, and again in 2011, intensified its warning. The European Environment Agency called for urgent precautionary action in 2009. The European Parliament repeated the same call also in 2009 and, in a unanimous resolution in 2011, the European Council urged members to abandon wireless communication policies that are seen as unsustainable in their current form. A recurrent theme of these appeals and resolutions is the fear that in particular this generation of children and adolescents will be harmed. Thus in the fall of 2011, the European Environment Agency has renewed its call for precautionary action, especially with regard to children and adolescents.
With this appeal, we as physicians call on our colleagues and all citizens around the world:
Educate and inform yourself, and pass this information on to your family, neighbors, friends, and politicians. Stand up for your own physical and mental health and the health of those in your care by choosing wired communication technologies whenever possible.
As physicians, we think the following policy steps are urgently needed:
• Immediately stop all expansion of wireless communication technologies, especially TETRA and LTE networks; drastically lower exposure limits
• Protect the inviolability of home by lowering exposure levels from the outside
• Stop the use of continuous wireless transmitters such as cordless phones (DECT), wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi), and wireless meters
• Switch to wired or fiber-optic technologies whenever possible, especially in preschools, schools, nursing homes, and public buildings
• Ban the use of cell phones by children, and the ban of cell phones and Wi-Fi on public transportation
• Attach warning labels on all devices with wireless functions-similar to cigarette packages
• Promote biocompatible communication technologies
• Identify and clearly mark protected zones for electrohypersensitive people; establish public spaces without wireless access or coverage, especially in hospitals
• Provide government funding for industry-independent research that does not dismiss scientific and medical reports of potential risks, but rather works to clarify those risks.
Leading scientists consider the massive disruptions of the biophysical functioning of life as the greatest experiment in human history ever. We already know enough right now about the risks and dangers to demand immediate precautionary action from those in government.