Over the past 20 years at our provincial environmental health clinic, we have been assessing an increasing number of vulnerable patients. These people suffer from electromagnetic field hypersensitivities (EHS) which substantially affect about 3% of Canadians rendering them disabled in spaces with a high burden of radiofrequency radiation and electromagnetic fields. These sources include but are not limited to cell phones, cell phone towers, Wi-Fi routers and an increasing number of wireless radiation-emitting consumer products.
The numbers of patients presenting with symptoms and signs of microwave illness have increased every year in a significant fashion. There is no public health program nor infrastructure to do proper surveillance and outreach assessments. Public health units should be gathering data so that the impact of wireless technology on society can be properly measured. Public Health should become more actively involved.
More doctors are becoming aware of this condition, as demonstrated by the rise in the number of my referrals. Common symptoms include insomnia, interrupted sleep, fatigue, decreased ability to concentrate, poor short-term memory, mood disorders including irritability, anxiety and depression, heart palpitations, skin problems, headache, tinnitus, dizziness and vertigo.
Non-government organizations such as C4ST are doing their best, but we are sorely lacking medical and public health safeguards to assess, monitor and evaluate the adverse health effects of electromagnetic fields. Exposing anyone to EMR without their consent and without informing them of the potential health impacts is at a minimum, unethical. We predict the number of people who develop symptoms will continue to rise as wireless technology rolls out without any monitoring of consequent health effects on society.
