Download a pdf of our November 2006 "News & Comment"

November 29... Japanese researchers do not see an increase in acoustic neuroma among users of mobile phones. In a paper appearing in the December issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, a team led by Naohito Yamaguchi of the Tokyo Women's Medical University reports that the "risk of acoustic neuroma did not increase with the duration of mobile phone use, nor with the total call time." This study followed a slightly modified Interphone protocol and stands in contrast to the Swedish Interphone study which found an increase in acoustic neuroma after ten years of phone use, but is in agreement with the Danish Interphone study which also reported no association. The Japanese study included only four cases and 12 controls who had used their phones more than eight years. No word on how many of these has used them for at least ten years. Yamaguchi recommends that future efforts should target such long-term users. (Note: This paper is an "editor's choice" and a "pdf" of the complete paper can be downloaded at no charge.)

November 20...  According to today's London Times, Sir William Stewart believes that the evidence that microwave radiation can have potentially harmful effects has become more persuasive over the past five years. Stewart, who was the the chief science advisor to the U.K government from 1990 to 1995, is the head of the U.K.'s Health Protection Agency —which absorbed the NRPB last year. He chaired the panel which wrote the influential report Mobile Phones and Health in 2000.

November 17... Mike Repacholi is circulating a response to our November 13 News & Comment on his consulting work for two U.S. electric utilities. After you've read his letter, please take a look at our response to Repacholi.

November 16... The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the new IEEE RF/MW radiation exposure standard on November 2, according to ANSI's Standards Action [see p.12]. The new standard is designated ANSI/IEEE C95.1-2006. The IEEE approved the standard on October 3, 2005 —it's a revision of IEEE C95.1-1991.

November 13... Just months after leaving his post as the head of the EMF project at the World Health Organization (WHO), Mike Repacholi is now in business as an industry consultant.

The Connecticut Light and Power Co. (CL&P), a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities, and the United Illuminating Co. (UI) have hired Repacholi to help steer the Connecticut Siting Council away from a strict EMF exposure standard. The two utilities commissioned Repacholi to prepare detailed comments to support a 100 mG level proposed by Peter Valberg of the Gradient Corp. and to rebut the state Department of Public Health (DPH), which is seeking a much tougher approach.

Repacholi's filing has been criticized for citing, and at times misrepresenting, as-yet unreleased WHO reports for the benefit of his corporate clients. Some see this as a continuation of his activities at the WHO, where Repacholi was often accused of favoring the mobile phone and electric utility industries at the expense of public health.

Others see Repacholi's consulting work as the closing of a circle. Industry provided financial support for the EMF project and Repacholi is now using the materials he prepared at the WHO with industry money to support their policy positions.