Electromagnetic Fields and Radiofrequency Radiation: U.S. HHS Seeks Public Input; France Calls for New Research.

New Developments in Radiofrequency Radiation: HHS, FCC and ANSES

On September 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking evidence and information on electromagnetic fields (EMFs), radiofrequency (RF) radiation and wireless radiation exposure, particularly in relation to human health. The RFI is intended to help HHS evaluate the state of the science, compare U.S. and international safety standards and regulatory approaches, identify research gaps and inform future research and policy.

EMFSA | 20 September 2026

The RFI invites contributions from researchers, clinicians, public-health professionals, industry, advocacy groups and members of the public.

The Federal Register will publish the notice on September 21, 2026.

Comments must be submitted within 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

➡ What is HHS asking?

The questions cover a wide range of issues, including reported health effects, exposure standards and risk assessment, methods for measuring real-world exposure, potentially sensitive populations, cumulative exposure from existing and emerging wireless technologies, and priorities for future research.

• What does the evidence show? HHS seeks evidence on potential adverse health effects associated with RF exposure. This includes exposure below current federal exposure limits. HHS also seeks evidence on possible environmental effects. The RFI asks how technologies such as 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, satellite communications, IoT, wearables, smart homes and wireless medical devices may contribute to cumulative exposure.
• How to assess exposure? The RFI asks how researchers can characterise individual and population exposure and better reflect real-world conditions. It also asks which technical and exposure-related information manufacturers and other relevant parties should disclose to consumers, residents, workers, schools, healthcare providers and local governments.
• Are current standards and risk-assessment methods adequate? HHS asks respondents to identify relevant national and international exposure standards and to consider whether scientific, technical or regulatory changes could improve exposure assessment and regulation. It specifically raises characteristics such as frequency, power density, SAR, electric- and magnetic-field strength, modulation, pulse characteristics, duty cycle, beamforming, simultaneous exposure to multiple frequencies, duration, distance, proximity to the body and cumulative exposure.
• Should researchers consider particular populations separately? The RFI asks whether exposure assessment or risk evaluation should differ for children, pregnant women, older adults, people with implanted medical devices, workers with elevated occupational exposure and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
• What should be studied next? HHS asks respondents to identify the highest-priority research gaps and how federal agencies, including the FDA, NIH and CDC, could improve coordination of RF/EMF research.

The RFI also invites individuals and families to share experiences they believe may be associated with RF/EMF exposure, including the source, duration and timing of exposure, reported effects, changes in exposure, and any supporting documentation.

HHS separately invites clinicians, researchers and public-health practitioners to describe observations that could help identify patterns for further study. 

More information about the HHS RFI 

HHS press release: HHS Seeks Public Input on Electromagnetic Fields and Wireless Radiation

Federal Register notice (PDF): Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure

➡ FCC context 

The HHS RFI does not specifically name the FCC in its questions about federal research coordination. The FCC, however, has separately opened a proceeding on RF-exposure issues related to the D.C. Circuit’s 2021 remand.

1. 2019: The FCC decided to retain its existing RF exposure limits rather than initiate a rulemaking to modify them.
2. 2021: The D.C. Circuit remanded the matter to the FCC, finding that the agency had not adequately explained its conclusions concerning several non-cancer health and environmental issues.
3. May 2026: petitioners filed a petition seeking to compel the FCC and FDA to comply with the 2021 remand.
4. August 26, 2026: the court ordered the FCC to respond to the petition, giving it 30 days to address the issues raised concerning compliance with the remand.
5. September 17, 2026: the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking comment on the RF exposure issues subject to the D.C. Circuit remand: FCC Public Notice DA 26-997 — RF Exposure Issues Subject to D.C. Circuit Remand

What does the FCC want commenters to examine?

• whether studies are methodologically rigorous and directly relevant to the issues remanded by the court;
• whether findings have been replicated;
• whether studies provide longitudinal evidence of non-cancer health effects or environmental effects;
• whether epidemiological studies account for widespread and long-term cellphone use;
• whether proposed biological mechanisms or markers actually demonstrate adverse health effects;
• whether studies distinguish correlation from causation;
• whether literature reviews assess the weight of scientific evidence;
• whether researchers use properly calibrated instruments, accepted exposure-assessment methods and adequate dosimetry;
• whether studies establish dose-response relationships and substantiate adverse health effects in humans at exposure levels below FCC limits;
• whether studies adequately address confounding, controls, blinding, sample size and representativeness; and
• whether laboratory or animal findings can reasonably be related to real-world U.S. exposures and human health.

The HHS RFI and the FCC proceeding address different aspects of the ongoing U.S. discussion of RF exposure and health. France’s ANSES has also launched a separate initiative, focused specifically on funding new research.

➡ ANSES 2026 Research Programme: Radiofrequencies and Health — Call for Proposals

Extract only — see the full call for proposals in the PDF below.

• Deadline for submitting letters of intent: 1 October 2026 at noon. 
• Deadline for submitting complete applications: 11 March 2027 at noon.

Who can apply: All research teams, including international partners.
Requirement: One French academic partner

Two research calls are planned for 2027:

“Radiofrequencies and health”, and a second call covering a wide range of environmental and occupational health topics, excluding radiofrequencies.

ANSES places strong emphasis on methodological quality, particularly because the research may contribute to future expert assessments. The agency also prioritises research that policymakers could apply relatively quickly.

Scope of the Radiofrequency Research Call

The call focuses on the effects of radiofrequencies in the range from 8.3 kHz to 300 GHz.

For projects on electromagnetic hypersensitivity, researchers may consider a broader frequency range extending to lower frequencies. The call permits this broader range where it may help researchers understand the phenomenon.
The effects of electromagnetic fields can be studied for these fields alone or in combination with a cofactor.

Besides signals associated with current exposure, the call invites researchers to study new sources of exposure and associated signals. These include connected objects, 5G and satellite technologies, wireless energy transfer, and the various modulations used for mobile communication.

ANNEX 1: Research Questions

• Research on mechanisms of action of radiofrequencies at the molecular and cellular levels
• Research into the physiological or health effects of radiofrequencies
• Electromagnetic hypersensitivity / idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields
• Characterisation of exposure

Source: National Research Programme for Environmental and Occupational Health “Radiofrequencies and Health” 2026 Call for Proposals — ANSES
https://www.anses.fr/sites/default/files/GB-Texte_APREST_2026-RF.pdf

Neither the HHS RFI nor the ANSES research call represents a finding that current RF exposure standards are inadequate or that wireless technologies have been shown to cause specific health effects. They do, however, demonstrate that questions concerning RF exposure, health, exposure assessment and emerging wireless technologies remain active areas of government-supported evidence gathering and research. 

Related EMFSA Newsletter

For additional background and recent developments, see our Wireless Health & Environmental Safety August 2026 – EMFSA newsletter.

AI Assistance

AI tools were used in the preparation of this article for language editing, formatting, editorial assistance and research-support tasks. The author provided the subject matter, source material and editorial direction, and reviewed the information and factual claims. The final article was reviewed and approved by the author, who remains responsible for its accuracy, interpretation and presentation.

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