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NIH EMF statement becoming news in Sweden
Dear Radsafers,
After reading through the EMF correspondance we had the past 2 weeks, I
decided to translate a whole article from the daily newspaper
Vasterbottenskuriren (two dots over the "a"). The article appeared June
30. The distribution of the newspaper is around 50000 copies and
includes the Umea (there should be a circle over the "a") area. Umea is
the major university town in north-eastern Sweden. Please read the text
carefully. It has implications on the topics "biased", "ad hominem" and
"economic support" arguments.
I am interested in any further information about the composition of the
group of 29 scientists. Mats-Olof Mattsson, who is mentioned in the
text, is a name I had never heard of before this last mass medial
attention. He has a list of 21 publications at web site
http://www.niwl.se/wais/new/20/20498.htm
At least ten of these are abstracts from various conferences. Only the
first ref. is from a reviewed international journal (Bioelectrochemistry
and bioenergetics, 1997:169-172).
Besides this article below, that I did my best to translate and reflect
correctly, there was also a national distribution of a TT-Umea message.
"TT" is like "AP" and reaches all daily newspapers in Sweden (I think
that was on June 30 also). Mats-Olof Matsson was mentioned in that text
as well if I remember right. I have no idea about to which extent the
TT-message was published but I met quite a few people who had seen it in
different newspapers (I got an electronic version of it).
I have scanned both original texts below as gif-files if anyone wants
the original version.
A few expressions used in Swedish have, to my knowledge, no corresponing
phrase in English. I have at these few places tried to give another
phrase/word with a similar value and meaning.
This gives you an example of the transformation that may occur when news
from far away reaches us. Few people here will bother about the sources.
For many of the readers "scientists at a symposium in the U.S." is
abstract but gives an impressive image. Many of them have never been to
the U.S. but they know about the trip to the moon.
If our decision makers become frightened and take measures of various
kinds - this may then be returned to other countries in the form "look,
the Swedes have taken all these measures, we just don't understand how
frightened we ought to be, to be on the safe side, ... we should do this
and that". So there a mutual amplification phenomenon may occur.
BTW: I met a representative of an electric power company in Japan 2-3
years ago. This man was very well read about the removal of local power
lines here near Stockholm ("Bergshamra" - about 4 miles north-west of
the center of Stockholm).
Everything expressed here reflect my very own ideas and opinions that
may not necessarily coincide with those of others.
bjorn_cedervall@hotmail.com
Depts. Medical Radiation Biology and Medical Radiation Physics,
Karolinska Institutet, Box 260,
S-171 76 Stockholm,
Sweden
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First page, top head line:
"POWER LINES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CANCER"
Running text on page one:
"- It is possible that electric and magnetic fields that surround power
lines kan contribute to creating/initiating/forming ((.BC:s comment -
the Swedish word here -"medverka" is vague.)) cancer.
This conclusion has been drawn for the first time by an internationall
composed group
of scientists on the basis of a large amount of scientific material.
One of those who contributed to the (scientific) material for the
conclusion is the
Umea researcher Mats-Olof Mattsson, associate professor at the
University of Umea.
- The formulation "it is possible" makes the statement interesting and
can be seen as a kind of break-through, says Mats-Olof Mattsson who just
returned from the U.S. where the 29 people strong group of scientists
met.
- Up til now, one has not dared going as far as to this formulation, he
says.
The scientists did not agree however - 19 approved to the standpoint,
whereas nine were of the opinion that there was no support for it and
one scientist "passed".
Continued on page 5.
Page five, top head line: "ELECTRIC FIELDS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CANCER"
Subtitle: "UMEA SCIENTIST PRESENT AT IMPORTANT BREAK-THROUGH AT
SCIENTIFIC MEETING IN THE U.S."
Running text on page 5:
IN BOLD: "It is possible that electric and magnetic fields that for
instance surround power lines can contribute to
creating/initiating/forming cancer!
For the first time has an internationally composed group of scientists
come to this conclusion."
THEN IN STANDARD FONT:
"This happened at a two week symposium in the U.S.. One of those who
through his research contributed to the material/basis for this
statement is the Umea researcher Mats-Olof Mattsson, associate
professor.
- A break-through for this formulation which I will define as a strong
statement, he says, just returned from the U.S.
- It is the formulation "it is possible" that makes the statement
interesting and something like a break-through."
SUBTITLE (BOLD): "On third place"
"According to the scale that the scientists use, the statement comes on
the third place after the more "certain" formulations "strong support"
and "plausible".
-Up til now one has not dared to go as far as to the now used
formulation, he says.
A large part of the group consisted of scientists from the U.S. but
here participated also, besides Mats-Olof Mattsson, collegues from
France, Italy and Japan. The purpose of the symposium was to try to give
an answer to the question whether electric and magnetic fields around
for instance power lines and houses may have any effect on the
creation/initiation of cancer.
One of the studies that was presented at the symposium showed a slight
increase in the risk for childhood leukemia, blood cancer, from power
lines and an increase in the risk for so called lymphatic chronic
leukemia among adults working in electricity intensive industry."
SUBTITLE (BOLD): "Majority"
"A majority of the scientists, 19 to the number, supported the
formulation "possible" while nine scientists were of the opinion that
there was not enough support for the formulation and one "passed".
Mats-Olof Mattsson, who is a zoo physiologist at University of Umea and
collaborates with, among others, the Occupational Life Institute in
Umea, has focused his research around how this type of magnetic and
electric fields in the low frequency may influence biological processes
for the creation/initiation/arisal of cancer, thinks that the step that
now has been taken can give positive effects on among
other (things) his own research.
-I hope for further support to develop the research along the line I am
following, which includes economic support.
He is now awaiting a statement from the World Health Organization's,
WHO's, leading cancer research organ "IARC", which will make a
corresponding evaluation."
SUBTITLE (BOLD): "More courage"
-If IARC comes to the same conclusions, it reasonably means that our
standpoint in
the U.S. becomes even stronger.
The sympsoium was arranged by the American National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences."
The article was signed by Roger Ronnberg (two dots over the "o" in his
last name).
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