Static Electric and Magnetic Fields and Human Health: Introduction

• This document reviews the laboratory and epidemiological evidence relevant to the issue of whether static (direct current, DC) magnetic or electric fields cause or contribute to cancer (or any other health problems) in humans.
• This FAQ was designed for Netscape v4 and HTML version 4 transitional.
• This FAQ is derived from an FAQ of the same name that was developed in the sci.med.physics newsgroup of USENET.
• El documento "Preguntas y respuestas sobre campos eléctricos y magnéticos estáticos y cáncer" está disponible en español:
  (http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/campos-estaticos-cancer/toc.html)
• There are two related FAQs:
  • Cell Phone Base Antennas and Human Health
    http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/cell-phone-health-FAQ/toc.html
  • Powerlines and Cancers:
    http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html

Table of Contents

1. Does anyone think that static electric or magnetic fields cause cancer or any other human health problems?
2. When evaluating whether there might be a connection between cancer and static electric or magnetic fields, can all electromagnetic fields be considered the same?
3. When evaluating whether there might be a connection between cancer and static electric or magnetic fields, do we have to consider electromagnetic radiation as well as electromagnetic fields?
4. When evaluating whether there might be a connection between cancer and static electric or magnetic fields, do we have to consider the electric as well as the magnetic component of the field?
5. What units are used to measure static magnetic fields?
6. What sort of static magnetic fields are common in residences?
7. What sort of static magnetic fields are common in workplaces?
8. What is known about the relationship between occupational exposure to static magnetic fields and cancer?
9. How do scientists determine whether an environmental agent, such as a static electric or magnetic field causes or contributes to the development of cancer?
10. How does the epidemiological evidence relevant to a connection between static fields and cancer stand up to the Hill criteria?
11. How could laboratory studies be used to help evaluate the possible relationship between static magnetic fields and cancer?
12. Are static magnetic fields genotoxic?
13. Do static magnetic fields enhance the effects of other genotoxic agents?
14. Do laboratory studies indicate that static magnetic fields have any biological effects that might be relevant to cancer or other human health hazards?
15. Do static magnetic fields show any reproducible biological effects in laboratory studies?
16. Do static magnetic fields of the intensity encountered in occupational settings show reproducible biological effects?
17. Are there known mechanisms that would explain how static magnetic fields of the intensity encountered in occupational settings could cause biological effects in humans?
18. How does the sum of the laboratory and epidemiological evidence relevant to a connection between static magnetic fields and cancer stand up to the Hill criteria?
19. Have any independent bodies reviewed the research on static electric and magnetic fields and possible human health effects?
20. Do exposure standards for static electric and magnetic fields exist?
21. What is the basis for the safety standards set by Lawrence Livermore, WHO, ACGIH, NRPB, and ICNIRP?
22. Do static fields affect cardiac pacemakers?
23. Do static fields decrease fertility, cause birth defects or increase miscarriage rates?
24. Annotated bibliography

Source: http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/static-fields-cancer-FAQ/toc.html

Revision Notes:

v2.7.1 (26-Dec-00):

• A new study [96] showed that MR imaging at 500mT can be safely performed in patients with cardiac pacemakers.
• A new study [97] found that strong static magnetic fields had no effect on the growth of human cells.
• Exposure to magnetic fields can produce effects on free radical reactions at field strengths as low as 1-2 milliT [98].

v2.7.0 (14-Mar-00):

• A new study [95] reporting that a 500-700 milliT static field had no effect on fetal development in mice.

v2.6.0 (7-Dec-99):

• A new study [94] reporting that a 5000 milliT static field had no genotoxic or epigenetic activity in bacteria.

• JE Moulder and KR Foster: Biological effects of power-frequency fields as they relate to carcinogenesis. Proc Soc Exp Med Biol 209:309-324, 1995.
• JE Moulder: Biological studies of power-frequency fields and carcinogenesis. IEEE Eng Med Biol 15 (Jul/Aug):31-49, 1996.
  
• KR Foster, LS Erdreich, JE Moulder: Weak electromagnetic fields and cancer in the context of risk assessment. Proc IEEE 85:733-746,1997.
  
• JE Moulder: Power-frequency fields and cancer. Crit Rev Biomed Engineering 26:1-116, 1998.

Permission is granted to copy and redistribute this document electronically as long as it is unmodified. This FAQ may not be sold in any medium, including electronic, CD-ROM, or database, or published in print, without the explicit, written permission of John Moulder.