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Date: 22 March 2004
TETRA masts: call for a different kind of research
Dear Dr Tahzib
I take it, then, that if I had mentioned the health problems, but not TETRA, you might have taken very different action?
The strong suspicion of residents here is that the NRPB will not respond appropriately for a number of reasons:
- They still insist in some communications that TETRA base stations do not pulse at 17.6Hz, whereas they assuredly do.
- NRPB say that extensive (ie sufficient) research has been done already on TETRA and that the current Home Office programme will be adequate. In this they are relying on predictive laboratory research rather than the epidemiology of TETRA. Their steadfast opinion is that because they think nothing CAN happen, nothing IS happening. (Like prions, BSE and CJD.)
- They are strongly influenced by Prof. Challis who, I am led to understand, is blocking the reconvening of the Stewart Committee, though this is due, and who leads the Home Office research programme that we feel to be avoiding the issues of people's real experiences all over the UK.
- They dogmatically take the line that effects of non-ionising radiation relate almost entirely to thermal effects and that there is no clinical evidence or research to suppose that this is not the case. They say it is "unlikely", therefore "most people" will be unaffected, and by inference that those who are affected are irrelevant.
- They depend completely on guidelines regarding the intensity of non-ionising radation, and take no account of the effects of coherent signals on the human biological system.
For this reason we insist that you do not simply defer to NRPB, since we believe they are an unreliable source of the kind of expert opinion that you urgently require to fulfil your duties with regard to public health in our locality.
Dr Tahzib, you come to us now and see what is actually going on. We know what you will be told by NRPB, we know how long it will take, and we still hold you to account for our health. There is such a wealth of growing evidence around the UK about this issue, that it can no longer be ignored.
yours sincerely
Andy Davidson
cc: Steve Phoenix
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