**2.4 Statens strålskyddsinstitut (SSI = Swedish radiation protection agency)**

*Recent Research on EMF and Health Risks; Sixth annual report from the Independent Expert Group on Electromagnetic Fields, 2009*  http://www.stralsakerhetsmyndigheten.se/Allmanhet/

The Swedish Radiation Protection Agency has appointed an independent international expert group for the evaluation of scientific developments and in order to provide advises on the possible health effects of electromagnetic fields. This working group takes into consideration other expert group reports as a basis for its discussions and reports that should be updated each year. The report from 2009 is the 6th and latest report that was published so far. It concerns *in vitro* and *in vivo* effects of radiofrequencies, in particular genotoxic and non genotoxic endpoints, effects on reproduction, neurodegenerative effects, immunological effects, behavioural effects, cancer etc. Also human studies were evaluated including investigations on brain activity, cognitive functions, sleep disorders, subjective complaints and epidemiological (cancer) studies. The working group consisted of 9 internationally renowned experts.

The report does not give an extensive description of the used methodology but it is clear that peer reviewed scientific papers were carefully evaluated. The conclusion of the report was that "*…there are no new positive findings from cellular studies that have been well established in terms of experimental quality and replication."* It also stated that *"…recent animal studies have not identified any clear effects on a variety of different biological endpoints following exposure to RF-radiation typical of mobile phone use, generally at levels too low to induce significant heating."* The SSI furthermore concluded that there are no indications of an increased cancer risk in mobile phone users (up to 10 years of exposure to mobile phone radiation). Absence of cancer risks (as by 2009) is consistent with the results from laboratory investigations in animals as well as with *in vitro* studies that did not identify a possible working mechanism. The working group also considered two studies on children that did not found any effect. In their evaluation of "electromagnetic hypersensitivity" the conclusion was that there were no indications other than the presence of a nocebo effect. The self-declared hypersensitivity is however considered a real health problem (but not caused by the radiation) that should receive sufficient attention.

The SSI did not formulate particular advises but it emphasised the need of further studies, especially on children.
