Electromagnetic fields (EMF)
2003 WHO research agenda for radio
frequency fields
Introduction
In 1997, the WHO International EMF Project developed a Research
Agenda in order to facilitate and coordinate research on the possible
adverse health effects of non-ionizing radiation. In subsequent years, thisagenda has undergone periodic review and refinement.
A major update to the RF (radiofrequencies) Research Agenda wasundertaken with the input of an ad hoc committee of invited scientificexperts who met in Geneva in June 2003. Further input to the RF
Research Agenda came from a WHO Workshop “Adverse TemperatureLevels in the Human Body” held in Geneva in March, 2002, (seeGoldstein et al., Int. J. Hyperthermia 19, 373-384, 2003). The committee
reviewed research in the following areas: Epidemiology and HumanLaboratory Studies, Animal and Cellular Studies, and Dosimetry.
Consideration was restricted to RF; possible effects non-ionizing
radiation from static fields, wide-band and power frequencies will beconsidered separately.
The RF Research Agenda defines high priority research whose results
would contribute to the WHO health risk assessment for RF exposures.
Researchers are encouraged to use the Research Agenda as a guide tostudies that have high value for WHO health risk assessments. To
maximize the effectiveness of large research programs, government andindustry funding agencies are encouraged to address the WHO
Research Agenda in a coordinated fashion. Such coordination will
minimize unnecessary duplication of effort and will ensure the mosttimely completion of the studies identified as being of high priority for
health risk assessment.
The Research Agenda is ordered in separate sections by the weight
each research activity carries in human health risk assessment:
epidemiology, laboratory studies in humans; laboratory studies inanimals and laboratory studies in tissues, cells and cell-free systems.
Dosimetry is considered separately, but relates to all research . It should
also be recognised that, whilst epidemiological and human laboratory
studies directly address health-related endpoints, cellular and animalstudies are of value in assessing causality and biological plausibility.
Preceding each research section is a statement of “Overarching Issues”,
which have broad applicability to an area of study. Such issues should be
kept in mind when designing and analyzing experimental or
epidemiological studies.
In order to meet the needs for the scheduled human health risk
assessment as well as the needs for a better scientific understanding of
the possible effects of RF radiation, each research activity is consideredin terms of ongoing, short term or urgent needs , and long term or futureneeds.
Ongoing: studies now in progress that are critical for the WHO RF
risk assessment and that can be completed in time for suchconsideration.
Short-term or urgent needs: studies not yet begun but should beinitiated as soon as possible. The results of these studies are a highpriority need for the WHO RF risk assessment.
Long-term or future needs: studies where results are not expectedin advance of the WHO RF risk assessment. These high priority
studies will provide data critical to future reviews of RF exposure.

Agenda contents
1. Introduction
2. Epidemiology
3. Human studies
4. Laboratory studies: Animals
5. Laboratory studies: Tissues,cells, cell free systems
6. Dosimetry