**2.2 Scientific Committee on Emerging and newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), EU, January 2009**

*Health Effects of Exposure to EMF, Directorate general Health & Consumers, European Commission. January 2009, pp. 83.* 

SCENIHR produces reports and advises on new technologies which may constitute a health risk for humans. Examples are nanoparticles, but also radiofrequency radiation as those applied in wireless communication systems. A detailed report on health effects of electromagnetic fields was published in 2007 and updated in 2009.

SCENIHR expert group members are selected following a call. Apart from 3 permanent members there were 6 nominated members, all well known in the field and covering different scientific disciplines. They discussed all peer reviewed (English) papers. When other papers were considered the reason for doing so was explained. Evaluation was done according to criteria that were well defined in advance. They included a particular attention to the reported study methods, the number of participants in a study (test and control population), the number of cells or animals that were analysed in the study, possible bias and confounders and dosimetry. Therefore not all papers were given the same weight or importance. Explanations were given when some studies were excluded from the discussion or where given less attention. The focus was on papers that were published after the 2007 report.

The summary and conclusions of the SCENIHR (2009) report were that it is unlikely that radiofrequency radiation is carcinogenic although further studies on long-term cancer effects are needed due to the long latency period for most brain tumours. Some investigations showed non reproducible associations between RF-exposure and self-reported symptoms. Most studies were negative. Overall, recent investigations did not show effects of RF-exposure on reproduction and development, whereas findings of effects on the nervous system (e.g., cognitive effects) were not consistent. Effects on EEG should be further investigated.

SCENIHR concludes that it is still not possible to exclude a small risk from RF-exposure. Therefore uncertainties that were identified in the 2007 report were still present. The weight of evidence analysis is nevertheless rather reassuring. There were no minority opinions.

SCENIHR recommends further research, especially long-term prospective studies, including studies on children.
