Scientists call for WHO to retract flawed research

August 10, 2024 

The International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) is calling for WHO scientists to withdraw their recent study on the effects of radiofrequency (wireless) radiation.1

The study in question was conducted by Röösli and colleagues and published earlier this year as one of the World Health Organization’s systematic reviews of research.2  It aimed to review the effects of wireless radiation on symptoms such as tinnitus, migraine, headaches and sleep disturbance. It concluded that, ‘available research suggests that RF-EMF exposure below guideline values does not cause symptoms, but the evidence is very uncertain’ and ‘There is no indication that RF-EMF below guideline values causes symptoms.’

The implication is that the radiation standards, devised by the International Commission on NonIonizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and promoted by the World Health Organization are sufficiently protective and don’t need to be revised. (Australia’s standard is based on this document.)

Experts from the ICBE-EMF do not agree and point to a number of flaws in Röösli’s review. They include:

  • excluding studies that could have been valuable

  • including studies with flaws (eg the COSMIOS study)

  • including only one study on children & adolescents

  • analysis of studies.


‘Virtually all of the methodological weaknesses … would create biases in the direction of reducing the observed strengths of association towards the null,’ the authors say.

In other words, the flaws make radiation exposure look safer.

The ICBE-EMF authors say, ‘We call for a retraction of this [the Röösli] paper. Contrary to the opinion of the authors, we conclude that the body of evidence reviewed for this paper is not adequate to either support or refute the safety of current exposure limits – largely due to the very small number and low methodological quality of the relevant primary studies to date, and the fundamental inappropriateness of meta-analysis for the handful of very heterogeneous primary studies identified for each of the analyzed exposure/outcome combinations.’

‘Furthermore, the ICBE-EMF calls for an impartial international investigation, by unconflicted experts, of both the currently available evidence base on these issues, as well as related research priorities for the future.’

  1. Frank J, Melnick R, Moskowitz J, on behalf of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF). A critical appraisal of the WHO 2024 systematic review of the effects of RF-EMF exposure on tinnitus, migraine/headache, and non-specific symptoms. Reviews on Environmental Health. 2024. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2024-0069.

  2. Martin Röösli, Stefan Dongus, Hamed Jalilian, John Eyers, Ekpereonne Esu, Chioma Moses Oringanje, Martin Meremikwu, Xavier Bosch-Capblanch, The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields exposure on tinnitus, migraine and non-specific symptoms in the general and working population: A systematic review and meta-analysis on human observational studies, Environment International, Volume 183, 2024, 108338, ISSN 0160-4120.

Detect wireless radiation easily

Take a look at our new, easy-to-use and economical tool for detecting radiofrequency (wireless) radiation, the CEMProtec31.

It can be used to detect signals from mobile phones, wireless routers, WiFi devices, mobile phone towers, baby monitors, microwave ovens and other wireless devices.

You can see more here.

What else can you do?

  • Take a look at the ICBE-EMF’s previous paper on what’s wrong with our standards here. 

  • Download your free copy of our July issue of EMR and Health here.

  • forward this email to others to inform them, too.

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