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.

Image: Generated with Lumo AI (Proton). 

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by Jason Rainbow — April 7, 2022

COLORADO SPRINGS —SpaceX has lost the right to provide Starlink broadband services in France after the country’s highest administrative court revoked its spectrum license. 

France’s Conseil d’État ruled April 5 that French telecoms regulator ARCEP should have launched a public consultation before authorizing Starlink in February 2021.

“In law, they should normally cease [providing services] immediately, pending ARCEP’s public consultation” following the court’s decision, a Conseil d’État spokesperson told SpaceNews.

Read more at: https://spacenews.com/starlink-loses-french-spectrum-license/

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Frequencies

5G

The Conseil d’Etat rejects all of the appeals filed against Arcep decisions regarding the assignment procedure for the 3.5 GHz band.

October 12, 2021

In November 2020 and May 2021, two environmental protection associations and several members of the public requested that the Conseil d’Etat, France’s highest administrative court, annul every decision that Arcep adopted as part of the procedure for assigning 3.5 GHz band frequencies (the “core” 5G band) in Metropolitan France.

These were decisions on the outcomes of the spectrum assignment procedure, and the licences awarded as a result to the country’s four mobile network operators: Bouygues, Free, Orange and SFR.

In particular, the Conseil d’Etat ruled that the Authority’s decisions of 31 March 2020 and 20 October 2020, regarding the outcomes of the procedure, constituted preparatory measures that were not subject to referral to a court for abuse of power, and thus rejected the appeals against these decisions, ruling them inadmissible.

Regarding the principles of precautionary action, protection of human health and public participation, the Conseil d’Etat upheld the procedure’s validity

It ruled, notably, that the frequency licences awarded by Arcep did not constitute “plans and programmes” within the meaning of the Directive of the European Parliament and Council [1], and were thus not subject to an obligation of prior environmental assessment.

This Conseil d’Etat decision is in line with the one it took on 31 December 2020 regarding the legality of the Order of 31 December 2019, setting the rules for the procedure.

The Conseil d’Etat decision brings all litigation on the matter to a close, and confirms the frequencies’ definitive assignment

Arcep welcomes the Conseil d’Etat decision. It upholds the assignment procedure for 3.5 GHz band frequencies, and the licences to use this band awarded to the four mobile operators in Metropolitan France. It thus puts an end to all the disputes regarding said procedure.

https://en.arcep.fr/news/press-releases/view/n/5g-121021.html

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(Auto-translated from French)

05/10/2021

The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) updated its monthly observatory of mobile network deployments as well as Cartoradio.fr, a cartographic platform which lists all the radio sites authorized on French territory.

On 1 ^st  October ANFR authorized a total of  58,593 mobile network sites in France, all generations  (+ 224 over the month of September).

29,327 5G sites have been authorized by the ANFR in metropolitan France, of which 17,689 have been declared technically operational ¹  by the mobile telephone operators. Almost all of these 5G installations have been authorized on existing sites, already used by 2G, 3G or 4G technologies. Only 3 sites only host 5G.

In September, authorized 5G sites therefore increased by 1.8%.

According to operator statements, 63.7% of authorized sites are technically operational.

In France, three frequency bands currently make it possible to provide a 5G service:

• 18,392 5G sites are authorized in the 700 MHz band (Free Mobile), of which 12,079 are declared technically operational;
• 10,645 5G sites are authorized in the 2,100 MHz band (Bouygues Telecom, Orange, SFR and Outremer Telecom), of which 5,622 are declared technically operational;
• 12,462 5G sites are authorized in the new 3.5 GHz band (Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR), of which 6,555 are declared technically operational.

Read more at: https://www.anfr.fr/toutes-les-actualites/actualites/observatoire-anfr-au-1er-octobre-57-800-sites-4g-et-29-300-sites-5g-autorises-en-france-par-lanfr/

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https://www.anfr.fr/toutes-les-actualites/actualites/dingenuity-a-thomas-pesquet-quelles-frequences-sont-utilisees-depuis-lespace/

Auto-translated from French

05/12/2021

In recent weeks, the conquest of space has occupied the news a lot with the success of the flight of the first drone on Mars, Ingenuity and the arrival of the French astronaut Thomas Pesquet in the international space station where he will stay 6 months. This media interest is particularly aroused, beyond technological prowess, by the publication of photos taken and sent during these events. The ANFR deciphers how, thanks to frequencies, these extraterrestrial missions can keep in contact with the Earthlings that we are.

From space, Thomas Pesquet gives his news by sometimes calling Earth but, above all, by regularly posting texts and images on social networks. However, inside its International Space Station, there is neither WiFi nor 5G. How then are the data transfers carried out? It is in fact a communication via the internet! But to come back down to Earth, the texts and images are first transmitted far from Earth: to a geostationary satellite of the TDRS data relay system of NASA, which orbit 36,000 km, 90 times farther from us, than the ISS. This data is then sent back to us by this satellite. This inter-satellite link uses the 26 GHz band, identified at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference ( WRC-19) for 5G, and which should be deployed in the coming years in France. The protection of space receivers vis-à-vis 5G base stations is also the subject of specific regulatory studies with a view to WRC -23. On the side of ESA (European Space Agency), it will soon implement its new COLKA system to communicate with the International Space Station. It will also operate in the 26 GHz band and will use the European data relay system, EDRS, operated by Airbus D&S.

As for Ingenuity, the first motorized and controlled machine to fly on a planet other than Earth, it also uses frequencies for its communications. This little helicopter takes pictures of the surface of Mars. To send them to us, it must first transfer them to the rover. For this, it uses the 914 MHz frequency, used in France and in a large part of the world by mobile networks. This frequency is part, in Region 2 of the ITU (the American continent), of a free band (902-928 MHz) where there are many communicating objects using the Zigbee protocol, which is particularly energy efficient and which NASA has adapted for its mission. NASA has also chosen to use a commercial chip known for its low consumption, which is found in many smartphones. In any case, don’t worry about interference between our mobile networks and Ingenuity, Mars is far away! Of course, Ingenuity’s images don’t stop at the NASA rover – they’re going to have to make a long trip to Earth afterwards. These communications then use the attributions of the Radio Regulations for the space research service (deep space).

A future article will tell you all about this service and explain how the images travel from Mars to Earth.

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Source: https://www.phonegatealert.org/en/list-of-mobile-phones-with-non-compliant-sars-removed-or-updated-in-france

List updated as of April 25, 2021

To date, 28 different models of cell phones dangerous to the health of users have been either withdrawn from the French market or have had their Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) updated by software. Among the latest tested with a SAR trunk “non-compliant” we find the smartphone Nokia 7 Plus (SAR 3.48 W/kg) and Sony XPERIA 5 (2.64 W/kg). The manufacturer HMD GLOBAL OY (Nokia) received a financial penalty of 7 500 euros. And very recently in March and April 2021 two smartphones sold by the distributor Boulanger (EssentielB HeYou 60 and 40) with a SAR trunk and limbs “at risk” respectively of 2.86 W/kg and 5.26 W/kg for the HeYou 60 was sanctioned for exceeding regulatory thresholds.

Read more at: https://www.phonegatealert.org/en/list-of-mobile-phones-with-non-compliant-sars-removed-or-updated-in-france

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Source: 20 Minutes Nantes France https://tinyurl.com/55w2mb2k

Article by By Julie urbach, Posted on 04/13/21

Auto-translated from French

• Nantes Métropole had asked operators for a moratorium while it was time to organize a public debate and negotiate.
• Several measures will accompany the ignition of 5G antennas, which began on Tuesday.

The standoff was long, but a consensus seems to have emerged. This Tuesday, after asking for a moratorium while organizing a public debate, Nantes Métropole announced that 5G would indeed be deployed in the territory. If it was impossible for the community to legally oppose this launch, the metropolis believes it has not completely lost the battle, led by other cities all over France .

According to Johanna Rolland, the president (PS), several advances have been obtained from operators, in particular in the name of the precautionary principle. “The antennas near schools and nurseries in the metropolis will not be turned on before the submission of the ANSES report [expected within a few weeks], announces Johanna Rolland. We will perhaps be the only city in France to implement this precaution. “A commitment held by SFR, which announced in the wake of the ignition of the rest of its antennas, with already the coverage of 75% of the population of the city on Tuesday.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/55w2mb2k

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By Mathieu Pollet | EURACTIV France | translated by Daniel Eck

Three amendments proposing to have a “moratorium” on 5G deployment in France – first spotted by news websites Numerama and Next INpact – were tabled before the French National Assembly during its committee’s examination of the bill to combat climate change. EURACTIV France reports.

The frequencies dedicated to 5G networks should be “provisionally suspended” until “the results of the 5G evaluation on health and climate” are presented to parliament, according to the proposed amendments 587 and 746.

Ecology Generation MP Delphine Batho, as well as Ecology Democracy Solidarity MPs Cédric Villani and Matthieu Orphelin, were among the MPs who signed the proposals for amendments.

The group of MPs tabling the amendments reiterated the PT12.1 proposal of the Citizen’s Climate Convention – a panel representing French citizens on climate issues –  and drew inspiration from recommendations made by the country’s High Climate Council in its “Controlling the carbon impact of 5G” report.

Amendment 4539, goes further and proposes to decree a “moratorium on the deployment of the 5G network on French territory” which could only be lifted if approved by the “French population, resulting from a national consultation conducted throughout France for at least one year”.

Excerpt

It seems unlikely that these amendments will ultimately be voted on due to the lack of support from President Emmanuel Macron’s La République en Marche, which boasts a 269-member majority in parliament. However, the special commission in charge of the bill is expected to have prepared the text by 19 March.

Read the article at https://tinyurl.com/yah8krhh

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•5G Stopped

The deployment of 5G relay antennas in the territory of Fontenay-sous-Bois is suspended until the publication of the ANSES report on “Deployment of 5G communication technology and associated health effects” and until ‘a prior environmental assessment is carried out.

5G: prior environmental assessment is not optional

On September 30, a call for a moratorium on the establishment of infrastructure and equipment relating to the implementation of 5G on the municipal territory was voted for by the majority of the City Council. https://www.fontenay.fr/vie-municipale/arretes/arrete-5g-2136.html

•Robin des Toits

Many municipalities are currently asking for moratoria against the deployment of 5G on their territory.
This is an approach that is to the credit of the mayor and municipal councilors.
But most often these are wishes or motions that have more symbolic than legal value.

This is why we welcome the initiative of the municipality of Fontenay-sous-Bois (94 – Val de Marne) which has gone further, since its moratorium request of December 1, 2020 is also a decree that only an Administrative Tribunal can suspend or abrogate, after appeal or litigation. https://www.robindestoits.org/5G-ARRETE-MORATOIRE-DE-FONTENAY-SOUS-BOIS-94-1-12-2020_a3014.html

•Val de Marne. Fontenay-sous-Bois says no to 5G

By David Leduc, Published on 1 Jan 21

The mayor of Fontenay-sous-Bois, Jean-Philippe Gautrais (FG), signed an order suspending the deployment of 5G in his municipality. 

5G is not welcome in Fontenay-sous-Bois ( Val-de-Marne ). The City has decided to systematically refuse all requests for the installation of 5G antennas in its territory. The City puts forward the doubt about the health consequences to explain the decision. https://tinyurl.com/y77pxgdw

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The decision was made on the 26th of November 2020. The municipal order is available from the link below.

https://www.fontenay.fr/vie-municipale/arretes/arrete-5g-2136.html?fbclid=IwAR2BcakdDbPO

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