Scientists both within and outside of EMF research were selected as members of the Working Group representing a wide range of disciplines including, engineering, epidemiology, cellular and molecular biology, medicine, mathematics, neurobiology, pathology, physics, statistics, and toxicology. This diversity helped to ensure a cross-disciplinary discussion of the experimental findings and broad scientific perspective.
The Working Group Report presented here draws conclusions on the strength and robustness of the experimental data related to ELF EMF and its implications for human health and disease etiology. The summaries used to define the strength of the evidence in any one area have definitions which, to properly understand the report, should be read carefully (Appendix A). The Report was completed during the 16-24 June 1998 meeting in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and the information contained within this report reflects the deliberations and discussions of the Group. Following the meeting, the Report was reviewed and edited by a science writer for clarity and put into a common format. Systeme International (SI) units are used throughout the document. Some attempt was made to check the accuracy of references and data prior to the Report being printed; however, there was only limited time for this prior to its release to the public so there are likely to be some minor technical errors within the document.
The deliberations and summarization of the scientific data regarding possible health effects from exposure to ELF EMF are critical to the NIEHS' hazard evaluation project. This document represents the first step in a risk assessment for potential health effects of ELF EMF in human populations. The final categorizations represent strength of the evidence for a hazard and do not reflect the degree of that hazard. While there is no short summary of the results, the final discussions in Chapter 5 are sufficiently short and informative to give some indication of the overall strength of this evidence. The only way a reader can be certain they understand these decisions is to read the appropriate sections in the book.
Preparation of the Working Group Report in a nine-day period was a monumental undertaking. There was a vast literature to cover in a short period, and the members responded to this challenge with diligence and long hours. The 30 members of the Working Group contributed approximately 1200 person-hours prior to the meeting and 3000 person-hours while at the meeting. Adding to this, the contribution of NIEHS staff and contractors shows that the document represents approximately 3 person-years of effort focused on this problem in a very short period. This effort was greatly enhanced by the summaries from the three science symposia which would add another 4 person-years to this effort.
We wish to thank the members of the Working Group for their contributions to the meeting, their dedication, and their open-minded approach to preparation of the report. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the participants in the science symposia who highlighted areas of concerns and identified key research findings for the Working Group. We also wish to thank the staff and contractors of the EMFRAPID Program for their technical support in preparation of the report. Finally, we also wish to thank our families and friends who have shown us continuing support throughout this effort.
Mary S. Wolfe, Ph.D.
Christopher J. Portier, Ph.D.
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
July 24, 1998