Professor James Lin tells why we’re not properly protected from wireless radiation – Part 2
August 8, 2025
Last week we saw that one of the world’s leading radiation experts, Professor James Lin, believes the Guidelines that are the basis for radiation standards around the world are deeply flawed. These are the ICNIRP Guidelines, developed by the International Commission on NonIonizing Radiation Protection.
This week we look at what Professor Lin has to say about how this appalling situation came to be.
And one reason is the telecommunication industry’s influence on regulators.
Lin says there is an ‘industry-regulatory complex’ that exists in the US – and, no doubt, elsewhere as well. He says, ‘It may include bringing major industry actors into positions of power in government that regulate those industries in the fashion of a revolving door.’ In other words, the telecommunications industry is influencing the regulation of the telecommunications industry. Lin gives examples of where that has happened and points out that the situation serves to undermine public confidence in these regulations.
Another driver behind the concerning status quo is the World Health Organization’s EMF Project (WHO-EMF) which receives some of its funding from the telecommunications industry. How much is not clear, however, Lin says, ‘Indeed, it acknowledged that up to 50 percent of the funds raised for the WHO-EMF project came from industry sources and that other contributors have provided staff time. The staff time appears to have been comprised of people with connections to ICNIRP.’
Recently WHO-EMF published several studies (systematic reviews) on the effects of RF radiation. These studies suggested that mobile phone radiation is not a cancer risk, but Lin points out that they are flawed.
He says, ‘The criticisms and challenges encountered by the published WHO-EMF systematic reviews, aside from the most recent one, are serious and severe, including calls for retraction. Examinations of the reviews reveal major problems. In addition to the scientific quality of the less than balanced reviews, they appear to be biased with strong conviction of nothing but heat to worry about with RF microwave radiation. The unsubtle message that cellular mobile phones do not pose a cancer risk is clear. These systematic reviews exhibited a lack of concerns for conflict of interest and display unequivocal support for the recently promulgated ICNIRP RF exposure guidelines for human safety.’
The good news is that Lin sees signs of change.
He points to research conducted by several military research laboratories, suggesting that researchers are starting to think more laterally and are recognising the non-heating effects of RF radiation. For example:
- RF exposure changed DNA methylation (involved in regulating gene expression)
- 1 GHz pulses may cause acoustic pressure in the brain that could have neuropathological effects
- RF interactions with some microorganisms and S. Aureus.
Given that there are an estimated 18 billion mobile phones in global use – that’s nearly two for every person alive – the question of mobile phone safety is one that needs urgently to be resolved.
Lin JC (2025) Health and safety practices and policies concerning human exposure to RF/ microwave radiation, Front. Public Health 13:1619781, doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1619781
Professor Lin’s impressive professional background and extensive list of qualifications can be seen here.
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