You are reading these words on the screen of your phone, tablet or computer. For decades, our access to vast amounts of information and instant communication has depended on antennas and transmitters that blanket the world with radiation, specifically non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.
But many people are concerned that this poses health risks. You’ve probably heard that you should turn off your cell phone and Wi-Fi while you sleep, that living close to a cell tower can cause cancer, and that some people are particularly sensitive to the radiation emitted by cell towers.
These fears and feelings of anxiety are normal reactions to something that we know is there but that we can’t see or feel. For this reason, the Spanish Scientific Advisory Committee on Radio Frequencies and Health (CCARS, its Spanish acronym) regularly publishes comprehensive reviews of all available scientific evidence on this type of radiation, aiming to ensure that this technology is safe for all of us.
CCARS has published seven reports since 2008. Here we look at the findings of the most recent report, published last year.
Reviewing 25 Years of Evidence
Since 1999, CCARS, a committee of independent scientists, has been in charge of reviewing the available evidence on cell phone tower radiation. Every two to three years, it publishes a report addressing the question: how can we use mobile and wireless devices safely and with peace of mind?
Every new technology in mobile phones raises new questions, and this debate is constantly reopened and reevaluated. The latest technology, 5G, is no exception. The introduction of 5G coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, giving rise to a variety of conspiracy theories and false claims, including that 5G is causing or spreading the pandemic, and that vaccines contain computer chips that can be remotely controlled via 5G technology.
Read more: Four experts investigate origins of 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory
The committee reviewed all evidence published in scientific journals between 2020 and 2022. This is normal and positive in science, where changes in knowledge may lead to revisions of previously established understanding. That is why all new information must be systematically and regularly reviewed, and changes must be constantly kept attentive.
Avoid confirmation bias
When it comes to studying the possible effects of this type of radiation on human health, many different fields and issues need to be addressed.
First, you must be absolutely sure that radiation levels are below limits set by international organizations such as the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Various studies have confirmed that exposure levels are within safe limits even in the relatively recently deployed 5G networks, but laboratory studies investigating the potential effects on the human body need to be analyzed.
We also looked for evidence of a possible association between the new wireless technology and epidemiological series at the population level: if an increase in a particular disease were detected coinciding with the introduction of this new technology, that would be of concern.
Another important factor we have to consider is perception of risk: how do people perceive 5G antennas, or the proliferation of these new technologies more generally?
Reviewing scientific information must be objective and we cannot simply “cherry pick” studies that say what we want. This confirmation bias must be avoided at all costs, and scientists take extensive steps to minimize it wherever possible.
For this reason, our latest study partly employed a methodology called a systematic review to find information. Specifically, we followed the PRISMA guidelines, an internationally recognized standard that any researcher can apply for a literature review.
Five points to feel safe
After reviewing over 200 scientific papers, we have distilled five key takeaways that should give you peace of mind.
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Neither article suggested a possible link between cancer and exposure to normal levels of these types of radiation.
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There is no evidence that the hypersensitivity reported by some people (even in cases where there are clearly objective symptoms) is related to these types of radiation, and in fact this can be explained by the nocebo effect, whereby people suffer symptoms simply because they expect to get sick.
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There is no clear evidence that it has any effect on male fertility.
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There are no conclusive studies showing a link between these types of radiation and fetal development, or the later development of the child.
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We found no evidence to suggest a link between exposure to phone or Wi-Fi radiation and adverse effects on sleep or causing headaches – highly subjective symptoms that arise from a confluence of factors, including the fact that one is worried about the effects of radiation.
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Our findings are consistent with those of other international reports, which also found no association between these types of radiation and human health.
Additionally, even though 5G technology is now being widely deployed, overall radiation levels have not increased significantly, at least for now.
Reasons to calm down
Studies conducted in tightly controlled, highly specialized laboratory settings have sometimes produced conflicting results, and sometimes shown beneficial effects. The results of these types of studies can sometimes be very disturbing.
Therefore, there is debate about whether such studies are useful: they depict situations so far removed from our everyday lives that they have little meaning for the general public.
Risk perception is influenced by a variety of subjective and psychological factors, such as gender and educational level. Understanding this information can help design communication strategies that are based on scientific evidence.
This latest CCARS report firmly confirms previous reports and provides a message that helps us remain calm: under normal circumstances, there is no evidence that non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation has any effect on human health.
