Published: 2026-05-30 | EMFSA

Radiation monitoring and preparedness is a critical focus area in global public health policy. On 23 May 2026, the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly approved the first global resolution on radiation and health, titled Radiation and health: strengthening global protection, preparedness and response.

This landmark resolution marks the first time Member States have agreed on a comprehensive international framework addressing both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

The resolution highlights the importance of strengthening national systems for radiation protection, including improved exposure monitoring, workforce training, and integration of radiation risk management into broader public health and emergency preparedness frameworks. It emphasizes improving exposure monitoring as a core function of effective health protection systems.

Member States are also encouraged to ensure the safe and equitable use of radiation in medical applications, including imaging, radiotherapy, and radiopharmaceuticals. This includes strengthening regulatory oversight, quality assurance systems, and professional training.

A key priority of the resolution is addressing both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, reflecting the full spectrum of environmental, medical, occupational, and emergency-related exposure risks.

In addition, the resolution promotes stronger public communication, international cooperation, and evidence-based policymaking to improve global preparedness and reduce radiation-related health risks.

WHO will also map global stakeholders, identify gaps in implementation, and report progress to the World Health Assembly in 2028.

Source / Attribution

Source: Adapted from World Health Organization (WHO), Radiation and health: strengthening global protection, preparedness and response, World Health Assembly Daily Update, 23 May 2026.
WHO daily update – 23 May 2026

Further reading https://www.emfsa.co.za/news/urgent-action-needed-on-radioactive-gas-levels-in-south-african-homes/

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Cell Tower Radiation and Phone Usage aren’t constant—they change depending on how many phones are actively connected to the network. When fewer devices are in use, the tower transmits less, so radiation levels are lower. During periods of heavy phone activity—such as evening streaming in busy neighborhoods or commuting hours—towers increase their signal to keep everyone connected, which naturally raises emissions.

Cell Tower Radiation and Phone Usage in Modern Towers

Modern 4G LTE, LTE-Advanced, and 5G towers are designed to operate efficiently by adjusting signal transmission based on network demand. Several key technologies make this possible:

• Beamforming: Sends signals in specific directions toward active devices instead of broadcasting equally in all directions.
• Massive MIMO: Uses multiple antenna elements that can be managed to support active users more efficiently.
• Dynamic Power Control: Adjusts the tower’s output based on how many devices are connected and the signal conditions.
• Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) and Sleep Modes: Allows parts of the system to reduce or pause transmission when there is little or no data to send.

Massive MIMO and beamforming play an especially important role in modern networks. Massive MIMO uses many antenna elements to serve multiple users at the same time while managing power efficiently. Beamforming focuses signals toward specific active devices rather than broadcasting energy in all directions. This targeted approach helps maintain strong, reliable connections and ensures that the tower transmits only what is needed to reach active users.

Older towers may not have all of these features and may transmit at more constant power levels. Most modern cellular networks, however, are designed to adjust their operation depending on usage to maintain reliable service.

Why It Matters

Radiation levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day and vary by location. Towers in densely populated areas or during peak usage periods generally have higher emissions, while rural or low-traffic areas typically see lower transmission levels. Understanding this helps explain why exposure is not fixed but changes depending on network activity.

Further reading

References

Massive MIMO Systems for 5G and Beyond Networks—Overview, Recent Trends, Challenges, and Future Research Direction https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7284607/

What Is 5G Wireless Technology? https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/what-is-5g

What Is Beamforming? https://ww2.mathworks.cn/discovery/beamforming.html

Make the Most of Massive MIMO https://www.ericsson.com/en/ran/massive-mimo

Dynamic Power Control https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/dynamic-power-control

Optimal Operation of Base Stations With Deep Sleep and Discontinuous Transmission https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8458429

*Image adapted from photo by Michael Jiang on Unsplash 

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FDA Removes “Lack of Health Risk” Statement from Cell Phone Pages

The pages now focus on the FDA’s regulatory role with the FCC and its public scientific guidance. https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/home-business-and-entertainment-products/cell-phones

There is no public announcement yet that provides a research protocol, detailed aims, timelines, or responsible investigators.

At this stage, no detailed official documents or research plans have been made public. There is currently no information describing how the study will be conducted, including whether it will involve human observational research, laboratory experiments, animal models, or a combination of approaches. Specific health outcomes to be examined—such as cancer, neurological effects, or fertility—have not been identified, nor have any details been released about exposure levels, measurement methods, or control groups.

There has also been no announcement outlining a timeline for the study. Authorities have not indicated when data collection might begin, how long the research is expected to run, or when findings could be released.

In addition, aside from its general connection to recommendations from the MAHA Commission, there has been no public disclosure of funding levels, oversight mechanisms, scientific review boards, or collaborating institutions.

Such details are typically released later through official channels, including press statements from the Department of Health and Human Services, announcements from agencies such as the NIH or FDA, grant notices, publication of study protocols, or registration in research databases like ClinicalTrials.gov. As of now, none of these disclosures have occurred.

How WHO and IARC Review the Evidence.

WHO and IARC review scientific evidence in a thorough, step-by-step process, using systematic reviews and expert evaluations. They usually don’t wait for a single new study—like the upcoming U.S. health department study—before updating their conclusions or the official classification of cellphone radiation. Instead, they consider all available, peer-reviewed research up to a set cut-off date and make their assessments on schedule.

Further reading: Autism, Circadian Disruption and Pregnancy https://www.emfsa.co.za/research-and-studies/autism-circadian-disruption-and-pregnancy/

References

US health department to launch study on cellphone radiation https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-health-department-launch-study-cellphone-radiation-2026-01-15/

RFK Jr. tells USA TODAY 5G towers for cellphone use ‘a major health concern’ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/16/robert-kennedy-5g-electromagnetic-radiation/88220793007/

Is Cellphone Radiation the Next Big Health Question? Inside the U.S. Health Department’s New Inquiry https://earthtimes.org/is-cellphone-radiation-the-next-big-health-question-inside-the-u-s-health-departments-new-inquiry/

Report of the Advisory Group to Recommend Priorities for the IARC Monographs during 2025–2029 https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/AGP_Report_2025-2029.pdf

*Photo by Victor Larracuente on Unsplash

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15 Nov 2019

Following the invitation on October 1, 2019 to the European Parliament of Dr Marc Arazi by MEPs Philippe Lamberts, Michèle Rivasi and Klaus Buchner of the Greens/EFA, and the alert issued to parliamentarians and organisations gathered at this event on the Phonegate health and industrial scandal, a written question was tabled by Michèle Rivasi on October 9, 2019 before the European Commission.

Read more at the link:

https://www.phonegatealert.org/en/phonegate-mep-michele-rivasi-questions-the-european-commission?fbclid=IwAR1DwSrPMqZQxJIGKabxRUfV8JXNOsjVRLV_kcmHe_2_rfOCiHH6Wi3CKVw

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The post Questioning the Safety of Our Children’s Exposure to Wireless Radiation in School appeared first on EMFSA.

In a Telecompaper of Oct 23, 2018 the Brussels region environment minister Celine Fremault said she plans to propose an increase in the region’s limits for electromagnetic radiation from cell antennas, in order to support the roll-out of 5G networks, which will require many more antennas. She announced the move in an interview with L’Echo after the regulator BIPT released a report showing that 5G networks would not be possible under the current radiation limits.

References

The post Brussels: 5G pilot project halted due to radiation concerns appeared first on EMFSA.

In addition the 5G model will be accompanied by health monitoring.

The City should be congratulated on being proactive. We hope that other cities and municipalities worldwide will follow suit.

18.02.2019 Digitization strategy of the city of Ravensburg

5G Model of the Ravensburg municipality:

• The city of Ravensburg is proactively turning into a 5G model municipality.
•  The project should be accompanied scientifically and medically to investigate the effects of radiation exposure.
• Furthermore, zones or rooms with reduced radiation exposure are to be created for electrosensitive people.

A new mobile communications concept will be developed for these measures.

Target group: Citizens, business, science, administration

Source: Sitzungsvorlage (1)

*EMFSA would like to thank the group ELSE (Electrosensitivity International) for supplying the information  and for their assistance in creating this post.

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In a new paper, “Clear evidence of cell-phone RF radiation cancer risk” published in the journal IEEE Microwave Magazine, Dr. James C. Lin states that the results of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) cell phone radiation study suggest that current radio frequency (RF) exposure guidelines are inadequate to protect human health (1). Furthermore, the paper recommends that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) re-assess the research and consider upgrading the classification of RF radiation from “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) to probably carcinogenic (i.e., Group 2A).

Although Dr. Lin raises some criticisms of the NTP study in this and an earlier paper (1, 2), he recognizes the importance of this research to the field and the implications of the study findings for public health (2).

He praised the FDA and the NTP for the initiation and conduct of the study and emphasized the need for the “U.S. government to step in and conduct such research programs and not leave the matter entirely to the cell-phone industry” due to his concern that “The wireless industry has had nearly free reign to develop and distribute cellular mobile phones and related RF devices as they see fit.”

Dr. Lin was one of fourteen experts convened by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to review the National Toxicology Program’s cell phone radiation study in March of this year. He is a professor of electrical engineering, bioengineering, physiology, and biophysics at the University of Illinois, Chicago. His publications include ten books, hundreds of papers and book chapters, and he has made hundreds of presentations at professional conferences. He has served on the editorial board of fifteen professional journals and has received numerous awards and honors throughout his distinguished career.

Following are key passages from Dr. Lin’s paper (1):

“On 28 March 2018, following a thorough review of the draft NTP reports, pathologists and toxicologists on the peer-review panel concluded that, among other observations, there was statistically significant and “clear evidence” that both GSM- and CDMA-modulated RF radiation had led to the development of malignant schwannoma (a rare form of tumor) in the heart of male rats (of the Harlan-Sprague-Dawley strain). Further, there was “equivocal evidence” for the same schwannoma risk among female rats. The panel also noted that there were unusual patterns of cardiomyopathy, or damage to heart tissue, in both RF-exposed male and female rats when compared with concurrent control animals. In addition, based on statistical significance, the panel concluded that the pathology findings showed indications of “some evidence” for RF-dependent carcinogenic activity in the brain of male rats, specifically glioma. However, the findings for female rats were deemed as providing only “equivocal evidence” for malignant gliomas when compared with concurrent controls.” (pp. 16-17)
“The NTP cell-phone RF exposure study is, by far, the largest study of its kind [5]. It was expensive and time consuming, and there may even have been better ways to perform the study. Nevertheless, it highlights that prolonged exposure to RF radiation at, or a little above, currently existing RF exposure regulation levels could lead to tumor development. The current RF exposure guidelines of 1.6 or 2.0 W/kg are promulgated with a reduction factor of 50 as a safety margin for the general public and to provide protection against presumed hazardous biological effects in humans [5], [6]. The finding that RF exposure could lead to dose-dependent cancer development at levels that are the same or three times above current exposure guidelines is significant.  This implies that the safety margin may be no more than a factor of three. In fact, one recommendation (IEEE C95.1-2005) has a set of guidelines under controlled environments that allows local SARs of the brain and heart to be as much as 10 W/kg [7]. An SAR of 10 W/kg is considerably higher than the 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 W/kg used in the NTP study.” “Because all tissue and organs were similarly exposed and had comparable SARs, it is important for the NTP team to perform a statistical comparison of total primary malignancies in all tissue and organs observed in RF-exposed and concurrent control rats before issuing its final report. Given that hyperplasia (the enlargement of tissue or organs caused by an increased rate of cell growth in the initial stage of cancer development) often leads to neoplasm, the statistical analysis should also include findings of hyperplasia.”  (p. 18)“The FDA should be applauded for initiating and the NIEHS/NTP praised for having sponsored the research and conducted the cell-phone RF radiation studies. It’s important for the U.S. government to step in and conduct such research programs and not leave the matter entirely to the cell-phone industry. The wireless industry has had nearly free reign to develop and distribute cellular mobile phones and related RF devices as they see fit. The completion of this NTP study should not signify the end of the U.S. government’s role in supporting RF biological effects research because we continue to be exposed to more RF radiation every day [8], [9].” (p. 20)“Malignant schwannoma in rat hearts were the most salient findings from the NTP RF bioassay. Acoustic schwannomas in human brains and malignant schwannomas in rat hearts were independently observed from two different body tissues in humans and rats. There could actually be a link between Schwann cells that wrap around both nerve tissues in the heart and along the auditory nervous system.” (p. 22)
“Because all tissue and organs were similarly exposed and had comparable SARs, it is important for the NTP team to perform a statistical comparison of total primary malignancies in all tissue and organs observed in RF-exposed and concurrent control rats before issuing its final report. Given that hyperplasia (the enlargement of tissue or organs caused by an increased rate of cell growth in the initial stage of cancer development) often leads to neoplasm, the statistical analysis should also include findings of hyperplasia.” (p. 22) [Note: I provided similar suggestions for analysis of the data in my . (3)] “Now that the NTP review panel has concluded there is clear evidence of carcinogenicity from long-term RF exposure in rats, is it conceivable that the IARC would upgrade its epidemiology-based classification of RF exposure to the next level of carcinogenicity to humans?
As noted earlier, the existing RF exposure guidelines of 1.6 or 2.0 W/kg are promulgated with a reduction factor of 50, as a safety margin for the general public. The finding that long-term RF exposure could lead to cancer development in rats at levels that are the same as or no greater than a factor of three above these exposure guidelines is significant. While complacencies abound for short-term exposure guidelines in terms of providing safety protection, an outstanding question persists concerning the adequacy of these guidelines for safe, long-term exposure to RF radiation at or below 1.6 or 2.0 W/kg. Perhaps the time has come to judiciously reassess, revise, and update these guidelines.” (pp. 22-23)

References

(1) Lin JC. Clear evidence of cell-phone RF radiation cancer risk. IEEE Microwave Magazine.  19(6):16-24. Sep/Oct 2018. DOI: 10.1109/MMM.2018.2844058. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8425056/

(2) Lin JC. The NTP cell phone RF radiation health effects project. IEEE Microwave Magazine. 18(1): 15-17. Jan/Feb 2017. DOI: 10.1109/MMM.2016.2616239. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7779288/

(3) Moskowitz JM. Comments about the NTP cell phone radiation studies. School of Public Health, UC Berkeley. Submitted to the National Toxicology Program, Mar 12, 2018.

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How Dangerous is Non-ioniziing Radiation?

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An annotated bibliography which contains 92 papers published in scientific journals during the last two years that report evidence of harm from cell phone radiation exposure can be downloaded from:

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