IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation-Comar Technical Information Statement: Health and Safety Issues Concerning Exposure of the General Public to Electromagnetic Energy from 5G Wireless Communications Networks

2020 · No effect · Insufficient evidence

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No effectInsufficient evidencePaper 1489

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2020

Study typepolicy

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation-Comar Technical Information Statement: Health and Safety Issues Concerning Exposure of the General Public to Electromagnetic Energy from 5G Wireless Communications Networks Bushberg JT, Chou CK, Foster KR, Kavet R, Maxson DP, Tell RA, Ziskin MC. IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation-Comar Technical Information Statement: Health and Safety Issues Concerning Exposure of the General Public to Electromagnetic Energy from 5G Wireless Communications Networks. Health Physics: June 22, 2020. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001301. Abstract This COMAR Technical Information Statement (TIS) addresses health and safety issues concerning exposure of the general public to radiofrequency (RF) fields from 5G wireless communications networks, the expansion of which started on a large scale in 2018 to 2019. 5G technology can transmit much greater amounts of data at much higher speeds for a vastly expanded array of applications compared with preceding 2-4G systems; this is due, in part, to using the greater bandwidth available at much higher frequencies than those used by most existing networks. Although the 5G engineering standard may be deployed for operating networks currently using frequencies extending from 100s to 1,000s of MHz, it can also operate in the 10s of GHz where the wavelengths are 10 mm or less, the so-called millimeter wave (MMW) band. Until now, such fields were found in a limited number of applications (e.g., airport scanners, automotive collision avoidance systems, perimeter surveillance radar), but the rapid expansion of 5G will produce a more ubiquitous presence of MMW in the environment. While some 5G signals will originate from small antennas placed on existing base stations, most will be deployed with some key differences relative to typical transmissions from 2-4G base stations. Because MMW do not penetrate foliage and building materials as well as signals at lower frequencies, the networks will require "densification," the installation of many lower power transmitters (often called "small cells" located mainly on buildings and utility poles) to provide for effective indoor coverage. Also, "beamforming" antennas on some 5G systems will transmit one or more signals directed to individual users as they move about, thus limiting exposures to non-users. In this paper, COMAR notes the following perspectives to address concerns expressed about possible health effects of RF field exposure from 5G technology. First, unlike lower frequency fields, MMW do not penetrate beyond the outer skin layers and thus do not expose inner tissues to MMW. Second, current research indicates that overall levels of exposure to RF are unlikely to be significantly altered by 5G, and exposure will continue to originate mostly from the "uplink" signals from one's own device (as they do now). Third, exposure levels in publicly accessible spaces will remain well below exposure limits established by international guideline and standard setting organizations, including ICNIRP and IEEE. Finally, so long as exposures remain below established guidelines, the research results to date do not support a determination that adverse health effects are associated with RF exposures, including those from 5G systems. While it is acknowledged that the scientific literature on MMW biological effect research is more limited than that for lower frequencies, we also note that it is of mixed quality and stress that future research should use appropriate precautions to enhance validity. The authorship of this paper includes a physician/biologist, epidemiologist, engineers, and physical scientists working voluntarily and collaboratively on a consensus basis. Open access paper: journals.lww.com physics/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=9000&issue=00000&article=99768 For a critique see: saferemr.com

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typepolicy

Effect directionno_effect

Populationgeneral public

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: unknown

Main findings

This COMAR Technical Information Statement discusses public exposure to RF fields from 5G networks, including use of higher frequencies (including millimeter waves) and deployment features such as small cells and beamforming. It states that current research indicates overall RF exposure levels are unlikely to be significantly altered by 5G, that publicly accessible-space exposures will remain well below ICNIRP/IEEE limits, and that results to date do not support a determination that adverse health effects are associated with RF exposures (including from 5G) when exposures remain below established guidelines. It also notes the millimeter-wave biological effects literature is more limited and of mixed quality, and calls for future research with precautions to enhance validity.

Outcomes measured

health and safety issues
adverse health effects (general)
biological effects (millimeter wave literature)

Limitations

Millimeter-wave biological effects literature described as more limited than for lower frequencies
Millimeter-wave literature described as of mixed quality

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "policy",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "5G wireless communications networks",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "general public",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "health and safety issues",
    "adverse health effects (general)",
    "biological effects (millimeter wave literature)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This COMAR Technical Information Statement discusses public exposure to RF fields from 5G networks, including use of higher frequencies (including millimeter waves) and deployment features such as small cells and beamforming. It states that current research indicates overall RF exposure levels are unlikely to be significantly altered by 5G, that publicly accessible-space exposures will remain well below ICNIRP/IEEE limits, and that results to date do not support a determination that adverse health effects are associated with RF exposures (including from 5G) when exposures remain below established guidelines. It also notes the millimeter-wave biological effects literature is more limited and of mixed quality, and calls for future research with precautions to enhance validity.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Millimeter-wave biological effects literature described as more limited than for lower frequencies",
    "Millimeter-wave literature described as of mixed quality"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "unknown",
  "keywords": [
    "COMAR",
    "IEEE",
    "5G",
    "radiofrequency",
    "RF exposure",
    "millimeter wave",
    "MMW",
    "small cells",
    "densification",
    "beamforming",
    "ICNIRP",
    "exposure limits",
    "public exposure",
    "Health Physics"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "5g-policy",
      "weight": 0.95,
      "reason": "Technical Information Statement focused on health/safety issues and exposure considerations for 5G networks."
    },
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.7,
      "reason": "Discusses exposure limits and references ICNIRP and IEEE guideline/standard setting organizations."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001301
PubMed: Not supplied

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