Inter-Society Activities COMAR Report
	By Dan Hoolihan, COMAR Representative on the IEEE EMCS Representative Advisory Committee (RAC)

INTRODUCTION

The EMC Society has been associated with the Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR) for a number of years. COMAR is presently a technical committee under the Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBS) Society of the IEEE. For many years, COMAR has labored to produce scientific responses to many of the unsubstantiated claims of health hazards to humans from sources of electromagnetic energy. This article will describe some of the latest activities of COMAR and a closely-related Web page.

"A pair of excellent summaries has recently been published on cell phone radiated emissions and their health impact on brain tumors. The good news was that neither report showed any association between cell phone usage and brain tumors."

COMAR

In general, COMAR meets twice a year for business meetings and to discuss the latest developments in the world of Electromagnetic Fields, Electrophobia, and Non-Ionizing Radiation.

The latest meeting was held in November (1999) in San Antonio, Texas. Specific topics addressed at the meeting included: Electrophobia and Consumer Exploitation, Medical Applications (it was reported that an article entitled "Medical Aspects of Radiofrequency Overexposure" was rejected by the New England Journal of Medicine so other publications will be approached), Microwaves and RF, 60-Hz Power Lines, Heaters and Sealers, and Standards.

Other activities included a status report on a book of article reprints; Dr. Eleanor Adair reported that four of eight sections are finalized, three sections are being revised and are almost completed, and one section remains for revision. The complete book is scheduled for submission to the IEEE Press near the end of the year. A COMAR response to an IEEE Spectrum Speakout article by Robert Ashley was discussed; the COMAR response was published in the September Spectrum and it appeared this all worked out OK.

A new Technical Information Statement (TIS) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) exposures was discussed. It appears that MRI machines, which are currently generally at 1.5 Tesla and 67 MHz, are moving toward 4 Tesla and 400 MHz. Also, a new draft "Consumers" Guide to Specific Absorption Rates (SAR)" for cellular phones was discussed, however, this is not directly related to Government labeling requirements for cellular phones.

A second new TIS on Cellphone Protective Devices was discussed; this will address hands-free devices for cellphones (which may increase the EM radiation) and shielding devices (which cite 2 dB of shielding) and most people do not realize what that means.

Two additional issues discussed included issuing a pamphlet on environmental exposure to RF, especially on broadcast sites. The second was a technical discussion of "electrical sensitivity" in people and what this is.

The next meeting date for COMAR is Saturday June 9, 2001 at 7:00 PM in St. Paul, Minnesota.

WWW REFERENCE

There has recently been published in the literature a pair of excellent summaries on cell phone radiated emissions and their health impact on brain tumors. These articles are discussed on the Web Page: https://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/cell-phone-health-FAQ/toc.html . The good news was that neither report showed any association between cell phone usage and brain tumors.

This Web Page is coordinated by Professor John Moulder of the Medical College of Wisconsin. It includes frequently asked questions about the whole topic of Cell Phone Antennas (Base Stations) and Human Health. If you ever had a brother, sister or other relative ask your opinion on the issue of cell phones and health hazards, this is the web site to send them to.

Topics covered are summarized as answers to 25 questions. These questions include the following:

1. Are there health hazards associated with living, working, playing, or going to school near a cellular phone or PCS base station antenna?
2. Do the differences between cell phones, PCS phones, and other types of portable phones matter when evaluating the potential impacts of base station antennas on human health?
3. Do cell phone and PCS base station antennas produce radiation?
4. Is there a scientific basis for these radiofrequency safety standards?
5. Does the U.S. have safety guidelines for mobile phone base stations?
6. What siting criteria are required to ensure that a cellular phone and PCS base station antenna will meet safety standards?
7. Does everyone agree with the current RF safety standards?
8. Will cellular phone or PCS base station antennas affect heart pacemakers, cause headaches, etc?
9. What do the most recent scientific studies of radiowaves and human health show?

The Web page is updated periodically and should be an excellent resource for cell phone and health questions. For more information on COMAR activities, contact Dan Hoolihan of Hoolihan EMC Consulting at phone 651-213-0966 or e-mail at d.hoolihan@ieee.org . EMC

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