For Alexander

Alexander,13, has been living with glioblastoma since he was 11. His tumour is now inoperable and pressing against the optic nerve behind his left eye, leaving him clinically blind.

Despite facing challenges no child should ever endure, Alexander continues to think beyond himself — inspiring everyone around him with his courage and generosity.

Read more about his journey https://www.georgeherald.com/Community/Article/We-Care/cancer-fighting-teen-inspires-drive-to-help-others-202512031154

This past Christmas, Alexander chose to bless ten local children who are also undergoing cancer treatment by putting together and gifting them Christmas parcels. His selfless act is a powerful reminder of his strength, empathy, and remarkable character.

Important note: We are not suggesting that Alexander’s glioblastoma was caused by EMF exposure. Sharing his story is solely to support him and his family during this incredibly difficult time.

Follow Alexander’s journey on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585318710819

For those who are able and willing to help, donation links are available on his page. Every contribution, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated

Planetary Health and Research Highlights

In the December 2025 Newsletter, we also include:

• Stefanopoulou M et al. (2025). Bioelectromagnetics, 46(8), e70038. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.70038. PMID: 41416407; PMCID: PMC12715659.

• De Boose P, Ribas FO, Bell D, Bouga M, De Borre E, Fröhlich J, et al. (2025) Behaviour and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster exposed to 3.6 GHz radio-frequency electromagnetic fields. PLoS One 20(12): e0336228. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0336228 

• ICNIRP’s 2026 environmental focus

• Solar energy waste challenges

Further reading CBT as a Sensitive Topic https://www.emfsa.co.za/ehs/cbt-as-a-sensitive-topic/

Read the complete EMFSA December 2025 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-december-2025-newsletter

The post EMFSA December 2025 Newsletter – Monthly Update appeared first on EMFSA.

Challenges and Stigma in EHS

Examples include:

• Comparisons to “Better Call Saul”

• “It does not exist” / “It’s all in the head”

This article is not intended as a critique of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Rather, it is grounded in the position that the aim of any therapy or intervention should be to support EHS/IEI-EMF individuals in integrating back into society as fully participating citizens.

It seeks to illustrate the frustrations experienced by some individuals with EHS and the associated mistrust of CBT in certain contexts.

For example, if an employer simply dismisses an employee’s concerns by stating that “EHS does not exist,” can the resulting increase in anxiety and frustration reasonably be attributed to the employee alone?

In such cases, the employer may be unaware of, or may choose to disregard, the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation for individuals affected by EHS.

“For some patients who are anxious owed to their daily EMF exposed, cognitive behavioral therapy has been beneficial (68). In practice it may be prudent for society to try and make amendments, within reason, where family, friends, colleagues or staff identify as suffering from EHS; regardless of whether the underlying mechanism is biophysical or psychological in nature.”

de Vocht F and Röösli M (2025) Electrohypersensitivity: what is belief and what is known? Front. Public Health. 13:1603692. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603692

“Yet, whatever the cause, perceived sensitivity to EMF remains to disproportionally impact the lives of some individuals. In practice it may therefore be prudent for society to try and make amendments, within reason, where family, friends, colleagues or staff identify as suffering from EHS.”

Leszczynski D and de Vocht F (2025) Editorial: Individual sensitivity to wireless radiation. Front. Public Health 13:1744897. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1744897

“EHS is not real”

The claim that “EHS is not real” is inconsistent with the positions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These organizations do not deny the existence of EHS as a reported and potentially debilitating condition. Instead, they acknowledge that the symptoms are real, while noting that scientific evidence has not established electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure as the cause. As such, stating that “EHS is not real” misrepresents their position.

Author overlap in EHS studies

Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) represents a severely disabling condition. These authors view the symptoms as not caused by electromagnetic exposure (Pitron, Haanes, Hillert et al., 2023, Environmental Research). It is worth noting that (some of) the same researchers who link EHS to nocebo mechanisms have published a protocol to investigate whether CBT might help people with EHS-like symptoms (Pitron et al., 2025). However, this overlap may raise concerns for individuals who feel their experiences have been minimized in the past. For people who have faced stigma or dismissal, the connection between the explanation and the proposed treatment can create mistrust—not necessarily toward CBT itself, but toward the wider research context.

Beyond mechanisms

Ultimately, debates about mechanisms should not distract from the lived reality of those affected. Regardless of how EHS is explained, some individuals experience real limitations that shape their daily lives, work, and relationships. Recognising this does not require agreement on causation, only a willingness to listen, accommodate where possible, and avoid unnecessary dismissal. For many, that stated willingness may matter as much as any specific intervention.

More on the topic: Access to Information in a Democracy https://www.emfsa.co.za/news/access-to-information-in-a-democracy/

References:

ICNIRP Chair, Rodney Croft: Electrohypersensitivity https://www.emfsa.co.za/ehs/icnirps-chair-rodney-croft-electrohypersensitivity/

WHO Electrohypersensitivity Backgrounder December 2005 https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/radiation-and-health/non-ionizing/hypersensitivity

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity : proceedings International Workshop on Electromagnetic Field Hypersensitivity, Prague, Czech Republic, October 25-27, 2004 13 May 2006 Report https://wkc.who.int/resources/publications/i/item/9789241594127

Frequently Asked Questions related to the ICNIRP RF EMF Guidelines 2020 https://www.icnirp.org/en/rf-faq/index.html

de Vocht F and Röösli M (2025) Electrohypersensitivity: what is belief and what is known? Front. Public Health. 13:1603692. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603692 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603692/full

Editorial: Individual sensitivity to wireless radiation https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1744897/full

Editorial: Individual sensitivity to wireless radiation: Important summary quote https://betweenrockandhardplace.wordpress.com/2025/12/05/ehs-editorial-by-leszczynski-and-de-vocht/

Victor Pitron, Jan Vilis Haanes, Lena Hillert, Ferenc Gàbor Köteles, Damien Léger, Cédric Lemogne, Steven Nordin, Renáta Szemerszky, Irene van Kamp, Christoph van Thriel, Michael Witthöft, Omer Van den Bergh, Electrohypersensitivity is always real, Environmental Research, Volume 218, 2023, 114840, ISSN 0013-9351, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114840.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935122021673)

Pitron, V., Petzke, T., Zablith, I. et al. Efficacy of cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment for individuals living with symptoms associated with environmental factors (SAEF): protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol 13, 1296 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03564-5 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-025-03564-5

*Photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash

The post CBT as a Sensitive Topic appeared first on EMFSA.

The EMFSA May 2025 Newsletter takes a closer look at a widely publicized study that claims 5G is safe. While the media presented reassuring headlines, our analysis reveals key limitations in the research that deserve careful attention. This issue also highlights how antibiotics in cell cultures may confound EMF study results—an important but often overlooked factor.

• Mobile Phone EMF and Brain Activity
A new scoping review outlines major research gaps, especially around 5G-related frequencies. The review urges more consistent research methods and better-quality studies to assess EMF’s influence on brain activity.

• RF-EMF Exposure in Europe
In this issue, the EMFSA May 2025 Newsletter also covers a large-scale study measuring EMF exposure in over 800 microenvironments across ten European countries. One takeaway: stricter national limits often lead to lower background EMF—but can result in higher uplink exposure from personal devices during data transfers.

• Electrohypersensitivity (EHS): Reasonable Accommodation
We include insights from a perspective article that mentions reasonable accommodation for people with EHS, an increasingly recognized issue in workplace and public health discussions.

• EHS Skin Cell Study Emphasizes Need for In Vivo Research
The newsletter covers a new cell study showing delayed ATM protein activity in skin fibroblasts from self-diagnosed EHS individuals. The authors stress that in vivo studies are needed to confirm whether these findings translate to real-life biological responses.

• Upcoming
Stay tuned for Dariusz Leszczynski’s upcoming paper on EHS, recently accepted by the mHealth Journal—previewed in this month’s newsletter.

• Are AI Companions Just a Game?
A timely ethical question: are AI companions harmless, or can they foster addiction and emotional dependency?

• Breast Cancer Infographic: Exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN), especially blue light, has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in genetically predisposed women.

• Is taurine in energy drinks a concern?

Read the full EMFSA May 2025 Newsletter: 5G Study Claims Safety

EMFSA April 2025 Newsletter – EMFSA

EMFSA (Electromagnetic Fields South Africa)

The post EMFSA May 2025 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

In our EMFSA March 2025 Newsletter we look at what effect long term antibiotic treatments can have.

• Long term antibiotic use for chronic Lyme treatments
• Did individuals receive sufficiently transparent informed consent?
• Can misdiagnosis occur?
• What additional testing methods are available to assist patients and medical practitioners?
• The risk of missing a serious illness.
• Long term financial output and personal cost.

RF-EMFs can interfere with active implants.

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) acknowledges that RF-EMFs can interfere with active implants. ICNIRP considers such exposures outside the scope of its guidelines. This means that the responsibility falls on pacemaker manufacturers and patients’ medical providers.

Pacemakers

Individuals with active pacemakers should keep their distance from an active microwave. Patients and doctors should take note of this advice.

The Frontiers Research Topic on Individual Sensitivity to Wireless Radiation

The Research Topic now contains 5 articles, with the first article published in 2024. Since 2024 these articles have been open access and freely available to everyone. Read more about the latest opinion article and the conclusions of the author, who himself is Electrohypersensitive (EHS).

“All in your head“

The “All in your head” mantra—what are the consequences of such hurtful and dismissive statements?

Why is the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) concerned about food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia? Noteworthy is that ANSES commissioned an expert assessment to take stock of the adverse effects caused by the consumption of Garcinia cambogia Desr-based food supplements.

Read about the advice Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has for the essential oil industry.

Nestled in the Blaeberry Valley of Golden, BC, this unique, spiritual, and peaceful riverside retreat offers a chance to reconnect with nature. As you immerse yourself in the surroundings, you’ll nourish your being and feel empowered by the mountains.

Link to our March 2025 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-march-2025-newsletter-chronic-lyme

We send our newsletter only once a month. Want to stay updated? Subscribe today! Newsletter – EMFSA

The post EMFSA March 2025 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

Link to our free October 2024 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/ehs-cfs-me

The post EMFSA October 2024 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Electrohypersensitivity (EHS)
Both ME/CFS and EHS are chronic health conditions that profoundly impact individuals’ lives. Yet, despite their debilitating effects, both remain under-researched and misunderstood, leaving many without proper care or recognition.

Shared Challenges
Impaired Functioning: People are not able to function the same way they did before they became ill.
Impact on Daily Life: Employment, social and family life are affected.
Long-Term Chronic Effects: It can last for years and may lead to a serious disability.
Mental Health Misconceptions: Often dismissed as psychological in origin.
Lack of Support: Limited healthcare access and research.

These conditions are challenging to diagnose due to the lack of specific tests. While ME/CFS has received more research attention and has established diagnostic guidelines, EHS lacks similar clarity.

Historical and Ongoing Medical Dismissal
ME/CFS has had a long and complex history in terms of medical recognition, especially regarding its classification as a physical versus a mental condition. The shift from viewing it as primarily psychological to recognizing it as a physical illness occurred gradually and varied by country and medical organizations.

Today, ME/CFS is recognized as a legitimate physical illness by major health organizations, including the CDC, the NIH, and the WHO. However, challenges remain regarding diagnosis, treatment, and public perception. Healthcare access is still limited, and many in the medical community rely on outdated information. In some cases cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise continue to be prescribed for ME/CFS even though these treatments have been shown to worsen the condition.

Similarly, the WHO continues to recommend that treatment for EHS should exclude addressing the person’s “perceived” need to reduce or eliminate EMF exposure at home or in the workplace. This recommendation may be putting people at risk. **Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of the post.

The tragic case of Maeve Boothby O’Neill
Maeve Boothby O’Neill’s death serves as a stark reminder of the harm caused by discredited views on ME/CFS.
As journalist George Monbiot asks, “How was this allowed to happen?”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/18/maeve-bothby-oneill-me-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

Care for people with severe ME is “nonexistent,” says coroner in call to action.
The hard hitting prevention of future deaths report by assistant coroner Deborah Archer on the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill, 27, also highlighted the lack of research funding, training, and guidelines on treating ME. https://www.bmj.com/content/387/bmj.q2202

The Struggle for EHS Recognition
Similar to ME/CFS, efforts to gain recognition for Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) as a legitimate physical illness is ongoing. Dismissive attitudes, such as those expressed by the 2020 Chair of ICNIRP, negatively impact how the medical community, research funders, and regulatory bodies perceive the condition. Dismissing or ridiculing individuals with EHS is not only cruel and disrespectful but also poses a real threat to public health by undermining the seriousness of the condition and stalling research efforts.
https://www.emfsa.co.za/ehs/icnirps-chair-rodney-croft-electrohypersensitivity/

Professor Croft is a member of ICNIRP’s Scientific Expert Group https://www.icnirp.org/en/about-icnirp/scientific-expert-group/index.html

Call for Multidisciplinary Research
In our experience, it is common for individuals to exhibit symptoms of both EHS and ME/CFS, often due to heightened sensitivity to environmental factors. This overlap underscores the urgent need for global, multidisciplinary research efforts. Well coordinated studies and the development of effective solutions should be prioritized as part of public health initiatives to improve the quality of life for those affected by these conditions.

“The WHO should recognize EHS as a probable health impairment to stimulate the currently stagnant, but urgently needed, research on individual sensitivity to RF-EMF” Dariusz Leszczynski, PhD, DSc. Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland, and Chief Editor ‘Radiation and Health’, Frontiers in Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland; https://betweenrockandhardplace.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/final-leszczynski-poster-ehs-diagnosis.pdf

We thank Dave Ashton from UK Electosensitives for his input.

** Disclaimer: EMFSA is a radiation protection consultancy, offering advice and services to
assist individuals reduce EMF exposure in their homes and workplaces.

References
Ref. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness, Military Medicine, Volume 180, Issue 7, July 2015, Pages 721–723, https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00085
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/index.html
NIH https://www.nih.gov/mecfs/about-mecfs
WHO https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome

The post ME/CFS and EHS – The Struggle for Research and Recognition appeared first on EMFSA.

Link to our free August 2024 newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/august2024news

The post EMFSA August 2024 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

Excerpt:

Noise induced hearing loss: unlike bird and amphibian hair cells, human hair cells don’t grow back. They are gone for good. Ref. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss

The post EMFSA January 2024 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

Link to the May 2023 newsletter https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/ergonomics-children-adolescents-mental-health-ehs-mcs

The post EMFSA May 2023 Newslettter appeared first on EMFSA.

For readers new to the topic:

EHS: Electrohypersensitivity

EMFIS: Electromagnetic Field Intolerance Syndrome

“With increasing electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS), various health disorders are prevalent among people using smart wireless devices for a prolonged time.”

Our comment on the above quote:

The impression is often given that it is only radiofrequency radiation that is an issue as far as EHS/EMFIS is concerned.

This is not the case. Some very basic additional factors (there is much more to this topic) that need to be taken into account: 

•Low frequency electric and magnetic fields: house wiring, appliances, lights, power lines, substations, etc.

•High frequency voltage transients generated by some electric / electronic devices.

•Lack of exposure to sunrise and natural outside light (where the shielding itself has turned the homes into Faraday Cages). These individuals will not recover.

•Exposure to indoors artificial light of erroneous wavelengths during daytime and after sunset.

•Lack of making contact with the earth, not through artificial earthing methods but through being outside and physically making contact with the earth (bare feet on wet sand or grass).

•Misguided use of supplements and treatments, as well as polypharma.

“a prolonged time”?

The statement “Using wireless technology for a prolonged time in order to develop EHS” is not correct.” It depends on the mitochondrial health of each individual and what their personal “fishbowl” environment looks like. 

The post EHS/EMFIS: is radiofrequency radiation the only culprit? appeared first on EMFSA.