Switzerland: Electrohypersensitivity - a repressed condition

Electrohypersensitivity - a repressed condition
by Pascal Sigg, Die Wochenzeitung, 11 May 2025 - DeepL translation

Kathrin Luginbühl is one of many people in Switzerland who have been suffering for years from symptoms that they attribute to electromagnetic radiation - in particular to mobile telephony and WLAN. Although her symptoms are serious - palpitations, stabbing headaches, massive sleep deprivation - her suffering is not officially recognized as an illness. Scientific research has so far refused to provide a clear classification, although there has been evidence of biological effects far below the applicable limits for decades.

Hadlikon was a place of retreat for Luginbühl, a “radiation refuge”, as the article in the weekly newspaper calls it - a rare place with comparatively low mobile phone exposure. But with the construction of a new mobile phone antenna, she also lost this last refuge. She had already had to give up her home four times before because of newly erected antennas. The courts dismissed her appeals on the grounds that the radiation exposure was below the precautionary limits. The fact that Luginbühl falls seriously ill below these levels is ignored.

Wireless radiation and health: making the case for proteomics research of individual sensitivity

Wireless radiation and health: making the case for proteomics research of individual sensitivity - Opinion article
Dariusz Leszczynski, Front. Public Health, Sec. Radiation and Health, 10 January 2025
Volume 12 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1543818

Introduction

The current deployment of the fifth generation of wireless communication technology (5G) has reignited the long-standing debate around the possibility of health effects from the radiation emitted by the existing wireless communication devices and networks and the new ones introduced by the 5G. The opposition of the part of society toward wireless communication technologies is caused by the uncertainty of whether this radiation affects humans as well as fauna and flora.

Some of the population considers themselves sensitive to wireless radiation, the so-called electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Currently, the existence of EHS has not yet been proven scientifically. However, according to the definition of health of the World Health Organization (1) where “health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity”, any person believing his/her health is affected or sensitive to wireless radiation experiences a health effect caused by the wireless radiation. According to the WHO definition of health, just a belief in having EHS and experiencing non-specific symptoms, physiological and/or psychological, is experiencing the health effects of wireless technology. Hence, it is correct to claim that wireless radiation causes health effects.

Continue reading:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1543818/full

Understanding electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

Understanding electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

openaccessgovernment.org, 10 Dec. 2024

image: ©Nikada | iStock

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: Michael Bevington, Chair of Trustees at Electrosensitivity UK, explains the health risks associated with exposure to radiofrequency radiation and electromagnetic fields and why more robust action is needed to protect public health

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is a physical reaction to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These come from mobile phone masts, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, smart meters, and similar devices, as well as power lines and electric motors.

Typical short-term symptoms are headaches, dizziness, brain fog, memory loss, muscle pains, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, nosebleeds and skin rashes. Long-term symptoms, often subconscious, range from cancer and infertility to neurological and cardiovascular harm.

Short-term symptoms cease when the RFR and EMFs causing them are removed. Long-term symptoms can be irreversible.

Why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary Should Follow France’s Lead Advocating for Comprehensive Wireless Radiation Regulation

Why Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary Should Follow France’s Lead 
Advocating for Comprehensive Wireless Radiation Regulation
rfsafe.com, posted 15 Nov. 2024

France’s Bold Actions on Wireless Radiation

France has set a global example in protecting public health by proactively addressing the risks of wireless radiation, particularly for children. With policies ranging from banning Wi-Fi in nursery schools to mandating radiation exposure labels on cell phones, France’s comprehensive approach prioritizes health over industry interests. In contrast, the United States lags behind, hindered by outdated Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines and regulatory capture.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), offers a unique opportunity to champion similar reforms in the U.S. By leveraging his advocacy for transparency and safety, Kennedy can lead a transformative effort to safeguard Americans from the health risks of wireless radiation.

United States: Every Attorney General in every state v the FCC

The National Call for Safe Technology is a rallying cry for better wireless device safety testing, up-to-date WiFi exposure guidelines, homeowner rights to refuse "smart" meters, ADA accommodations for individuals impacted by electromagnetic sensitivity, and wired as the default internet connection. https://thenationalcall.org/

COLUMN: Every Attorney General in every state v the FCC

Has the FCC ignored the possible harm wireless poses to the public ?

An OPINION By Frederick Sinclair, November 10, 2024

On September 18th 2024 a national collaboration of activist organizations, officials and citizens, who have organized as the National Call for Safe Technology, (The Call) sent a request to every Attorney General (AG) in every state of the Union, requesting their assistance in protecting residents in their states and the nation from an identified harm. A primary mission of a state AG is to investigate, prevent and remedy unlawful actions and harm inflicted on the public under their protection. The Call, in their 11 page letter, pinpoints how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has failed to comply with a 2021 federal court remand order which underscores that the FCC has a statutory duty to regulate wireless exposure in order to protect public health. The FCC is failing in performing their duty and knowingly continues to allow exposures which are unsafe for the public and children in particular. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, in its land mark decision Environmental Health trust, et al. v. FCC, ruled that the FCC “failed to provide a reasoned explanation” for its decision not to upgrade its 1996 guidelines for human exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation. The FCC decision, not to upgrade, was ruled “arbitrary and capricious” under the federal Administrative Procedures Act and the case remanded back to the FCC to review the 11,000 pages of evidence, submitted to the docket. The evidence proved that harm is occurring below current FCC guidelines, which were set in 1996. To date, the FCC has failed to comply with the 2021 remand order. The Call, letter to State Attorney Generals, underscores the FCC statutory duty to regulate wireless exposure to protect public health and is requesting the assistance of the state prosecutors to help push for the court ordered upgrade of the outdated exposure levels which have been shown to be harming the public and the environment.

Washington Post Shines Light on What Modern Life Is Like for People With Electromagnetic Sensitivity

Washington Post Shines Light on What Modern Life Is Like for People With Electromagnetic Sensitivity

The Washington Post reported on dozens of “electrosensitive” people who moved to a remote West Virginia town with no cell service rather than endure heart arrhythmia, headaches, eye problems, burning skin, brain fog, fatigue and other symptoms caused by exposure to electromagnetic fields.

by Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D., childrenshealthdefense.org, October 23, 2024

The Washington Post last week reported on dozens of “electrosensitive” people who moved to a remote West Virginia town with no cell service, drawing mainstream media attention to how wireless radiation can cause some people to experience life-altering health symptoms.

Electrosensitivity — sometimes referred to as electromagnetic sensitivity (EMS), electromagnetic hypersensitivity or microwave syndrome — is a federally recognized condition in which people experience adverse health effects due to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure.

The Post interviewed residents of Green Bank, West Virginia, some of whom said EMF exposure previously had caused them to experience heart arrhythmia, headaches, eye problems, burning skin, brain fog, memory issues, fatigue and/or other symptoms.

So they moved to Green Bank, an EMF-free town situated in a roughly 13,000-square-mile area spanning Virginia and West Virginia. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1958 created the protected area — dubbed the National Radio Quiet Zone — because the area is home to the Green Bank Telescope.

The telescope, considered “the most accurate, versatile, large dish radio telescope in the world,” is powerful enough to pick up “the super-faint clouds of hydrogen that hang out between the stars and galaxies.” Because cell tower or Wi-Fi signals would drown out the subtle signals picked up by the telescope, the FCC protected the area from radiofrequency (RF) radiation-EMF interference.

Continue reading:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/electromagnetic-sensitive-people-washington-post/

Germany: Concrete Help for Those Affected by Electrohypersensitivity

Electrohypersensitivity: Concrete help for those affected in Germany

diagnose-ehs.org (site in German) auto-translation

Recently, the diagnose:funk doctors network went online in Germany. This is supposed to provide people with electrohypersensitivity across Germany with an overview of where and with whom they can listen to their complaints (for the first time).

While in Switzerland, people suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity can already seek professional advice at the medical network MedNIS since 2023, Germany is still significantly behind in this. Although the Robert Koch Institute recognized as early as January 2020 that “patients with environmentally related or caused health disorders are finding it increasingly difficult to receive environmental medical care”, it has hardly taken any steps in this regard to date.

The network of doctors set up by diagnose:funk is now set to change this. The 50 doctors involved so far

- take EHS sufferers with the cause of the illness of radio radiation seriously.

- do not regard EHS as a psychological condition.

- try to provide support as much as they can.

Switzerland: Canton Vaud: Interpellation Sabine Glauser Krug - Electro-hypersensitive people, sacrificed in the name of progress - what solutions?

Interpellation Sabine Glauser Krug - Electro-hypersensitive people, sacrificed in the name of progress - what solutions?
Submitted to the State Council, Canton Vaud, September 3, 2024 - unofficial translation

Submitted text

Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a condition that is not recognized by health insurance funds, and manifests itself as pathological reactions to non-ionizing radiation (NIR). Symptoms are very diverse, ranging from tingling, trembling or fatigue to intense headaches and muscle aches, as well as difficulty concentrating. They are heightened by the duration of exposure and the intensity of the emissions. The complexity of this condition lies in the diversity of non-tolerated frequencies (some people are more sensitive to Wi-Fi, others to the power grid or to emissions from connected devices, etc.), the delayed onset of symptoms and the fluctuating degree of sensitivity. There is no officially recognized diagnostic protocol, and electrohypersensitive people have generally been able to identify the source of their discomfort by escaping NIR either experimentally or by staying in a place protected from such radiation. Symptoms reappear on return to normal life.

Italy: Calabria Region Recognizes Fibromyalgia and Electrosensitivity

Calabria Region Recognizes Fibromyalgia and Electrosensitivity
elettrosensibili.it/, 17 March 2024 - auto.translation

On March 12, the Regional Council of Calabria unanimously approved regional law 8/2024, which recognizes the social relevance of fibromyalgia and electrosensitivity.

The Region, while waiting for the recognition of fibromyalgia and electrosensitivity at a national level, wants to promote the establishment of clinics dedicated to free screening activities and the establishment at hospital and territorial level of multidisciplinary clinics dedicated solely to the aforementioned pathologies.

Furthermore, the law, in recognizing the significant contribution of the associations, establishes a regional registry for fibromyalgia and a regional registry for electrosensitivity in order to track their incidence and prevalence at the regional level.

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is a Humanitarian Crisis that Requires an Urgent Response

ELECTROMAGNETIC HYPERSENSITIVITY (EHS) IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THAT REQUIRES AN URGENT RESPONSE.

International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, July 2024

DOWNLOAD PDF format

ICBE-EMF is dedicated to the protection of humans and other species from the harmful effects of non-ionizing radiation. Of highest concern are children, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions including those who are Electromagnetically Hypersensitive (EHS). We attribute the growth of EHS to the rapid expansion in anthropogenic (human-caused) electromagnetic fields. EHS symptoms may occur through use of devices or exposure to infrastructure, such as mobile phones, DECT cordless landlines, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth enabled computers, Wi-Fi routers, smart meters, base station antennas, electric vehicles, power lines, household electrical appliances and other low intensity exposures.

All biology uses electromagnetic fields as well as chemical signalling. Widely used EMF (electrical and magnetic fields) are new and very different from those found in nature, making them disruptive to normal biological functioning, even at what are labelled as low levels.

Why electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a biologically expected reaction to harmful radiation - paper by Peter Hensinger / Bernd I. Budzinski

PAPER : Why electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a biologically expected reaction to harmful radiation - by Peter Hensinger / Bernd I. Budzinski, 2024: 

In a specialist article and discussion contribution in the journal umwelt-medizin-gesellschaft, the authors document aspects of the research on electrohypersensitivity and the psycho-social causes of the controversy as to whether EHS is a fact or imagination. 

Available to download in both German and English.

CLICK TO Download: Peter Hensinger / Bernd I. Budzinski (2024): Why electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a biologically expected reaction to harmful radiation

Why electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a biologically expected reaction to harmful radiation
Peter Hensinger / Bernd I. Budzinski

posted by Environmental Health Trust, 23 June 2024

Information on this page is from diagnose-funk.org here.

Is electrohypersensitivity (EHS), caused by mobile phone radiation, a fact or all in the imagination? It is comprehensible why the mobile phone industry declares this illness to be imaginary. It would be damaging to their business if their products were associated with the consequences of illness. However, the authorities responsible for health and radiation protection also claim that EHS is a psychological, anxiety-induced reaction. They deny connections with radiation exposure and claim that there is no underlying cause-and-effect mechanism. The available evidence for this correlation and the requirement for causality as a prerequisite for the recognition of a disease are the subject of this article, as are the reasons for discrimination against people with electrohypersensitivity.

Pittsfield Massachusetts Mayor Proclaims June 16, 2024 as Electromagnetic Sensitivity Day

PITTSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS MAYOR PROCLAIMS JUNE 16, 2024 AS ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSITIVITY DAY
Environmental Health Trust, 14 June 2024

Pittsfield Massachusetts Mayor Peter Marchetti Proclaimed June 16, 2024 as Electromagnetic Sensitivity Day. Sixteen year old Amelia Gilardi worked on the issue for her 10th grade civics project. Her family is one of several families that documented injury from a nearby cell tower leading to the Pittsfield Board of Health voting to send a cease and desist order to Verizon.

Pittsfield Massachusetts policymakers have been involved in several efforts towards wireless accountability. Dr. Kulbergs Pittsfield Board of Health’s letter in Support of MA Commission on Wireless Radiation and stated to elected officials that “Massachusetts cannot wait for the FCC to act. We are asking to your strong support of this bill and for a favorable report out of the Committee on Consumer Protection.”

Switzerland: Electrosensitivity: A new medical advice network

Switzerland: Electrosensitivity: A new medical advice network

A new article published on the website of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN),
Swiss Confederation

Link to the network (in French, German, Italian): MedNIS

https://www.mednis.ch/fr

Electrosensitivity: A new medical advice network

The disorder is not scientifically recognized, yet the suffering of electrosensitive people is very real. A new medical advice network intends to improve their care. This measure is based on a decision of the Federal Council.

Text: Carole Berset - unofficial auto-translation 

Bruno Cardona suffers from electrosensitivity. He has implemented a series of solutions to disconnect 

and therefore limit his pain. © Saskja Rosset | Lunax

Recurrent headaches, concentration and memory problems: in Switzerland, around 5% of the population reports suffering from electrosensitivity. “This rate varies between 1% and around 10% depending on the studies. A report from the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) of France in 2018 evaluated studies of the prevalence of this disorder over several years, and estimated that it would be around 5%,” explains Maurane Riesen, scientific collaborator at the FOEN. No causal link has been scientifically established between the appearance of electrosensitivity and exposure to electromagnetic fields (also called electrosmog). However, the suffering of electrosensitive people is real and has been associated with a variety of symptoms such as redness, burning sensations, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, nausea, heart palpitations and digestive problems. According to the ANSES report, radio frequency sources (Wi-Fi, mobile telephony, relay antennas) and low frequency sources (electrical lines and installations) are most often blamed by people during the appearance of this condition.

Woman Living Near Cell Tower Diagnosed With 51 Strokes

Exclusive: Woman Living Near Cell Tower Diagnosed With 51 Strokes
By Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D., childrenshealthdefense.org, 26 Feb. 2024, updated 27 Feb. 2024

In an interview with The Defender, Marcia Haller detailed how her life dramatically changed when a cell tower 900 feet from her home was “upgraded.” Haller notified the telecom companies operating the tower that she plans to sue under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In 2007, Marcia and Jason Haller — high school sweethearts who met in Duluth, Minnesota — bought their dream property north of Duluth to peacefully live close to nature and Marcia’s family.

Little did they know then that American Towers, AT&T and T-Mobile would soon build a cell tower just 900 feet from their home — a tower that would later forever change Marcia’s life as she knew it.

Nearly immediately after the cell tower was “upgraded” in 2019, Marcia became disabled from the intense levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitted by the tower.

Since then, she has suffered 51 strokes, vision loss, hearing loss, headaches, sleep disruption, chronic fatigue and cognitive impairment. She experiences ongoing issues with balance, orientation and mobility.

Germany: The city of Ravensburg wants to build a shelter against radiation

The city of Ravensburg wants to build a shelter against radiation
by Annette Vincenz, schwaebische.de, 27 December 2023

Some people have bad allergies, others are highly sensitive to radiation and electrosmog. How the city of Ravensburg wants to help them.

Almost everyone has it: a smartphone. But some people wonder how healthy these small devices actually are. (Photo: Zacharie Scheurer/dpa/dpa-tmn)

Ravensburg could be the first city in Germany to set up a public shelter for electro-sensitive people. This was confirmed by both the city's press spokesman Timo Hartmann and Anke Bay from the self-help group for environmentally ill people in Ravensburg. Those affected can relax in the room, which is shielded from cell phone radiation, if they have things to do in the city center. It will probably go to the city library, which is due to be renovated and modernized in the next few years.

Horror of cell phone radiation

A Woman aged 82 years with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity since Almost Four Decades Developed the Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Base Stations in her Living Vicinity

A Woman aged 82 years with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity since Almost Four Decades Developed the Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Base Stations in her Living Vicinity – Ethical Principles in Medicine are violated
by Lennart Hardell1* and Mona Nilsson2
Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health, vol.8, issue 1, Published: January 09, 2024

Abstract

Installation of the fifth generation (5G) for radiofrequency radiation started in Sweden in 2019/2020. Since then there has been a rapid development of this technology in the whole country. In previous case reports we have presented persons that developed the microwave syndrome caused by the radiation after installation of 5G in their neighborhood. Mostly these former healthy persons have tolerated previous generations such as 3G and 4G. After moving to another place without 5G the microwave syndrome disappeared in short time. Thus 5G seems to be a culprit for ill health, and these 5G exposure studies correspond to classic provocation tests on effects on well-being. This article presents a woman aged 82 years with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) since almost four decades. After deployment of 5G base stations close to her living place she developed severe ill health including fatigue, dysesthesia, dizziness, balance disorder, and light sensitivity that all are included in the microwave syndrome. Also her 83 years old husband was affected, although to a minor extent. The ethical and moral principles in medicine that can be adopted for RF radiation illness are respect for life, human dignity, self-determination, medical care, justice, and benefit. These principles are central for ethics among physicists and other health care staff. All these principles were violated and in fact microwave illness with the variety of symptoms is not acknowledged as a disease by the medical community. This is mostly based on lack of scientific knowledge on this topic.

https://www.fortunejournals.com/articles/a-woman-aged-82-years-with-electromagnetic.pdf

Combined Neurological Syndrome in Electrohypersensitivity and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Clinical Study of 2018 Cases - by Dominique Belpomme and Philippe Irigaray

Combined Neurological Syndrome in Electrohypersensitivity and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Clinical Study of 2018 Cases
New paper by Dominique Belpomme and Philippe Irigaray, 30 Nov. 2023
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(23), 7421; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12237421

Abstract

From a cohort of 2018 evaluable consecutive cases issued from the European Clinical Trial Database, we describe the complete clinical symptomatic presentation of electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and their association in the framework of a unique, sensitivity-related environmental neurologic syndrome. Eligibility criteria are those of the Atlanta consensus meeting for MCS, and those of WHO for EHS. There were 1428 EHS, 85 MCS and 505 EHS/MCS evaluable cases, so EHS was associated with MCS in 25%. Women appeared to be much more susceptible to EHS and/or to MCS than men, with no statistical significance between the EHS and MCS groups (p = 0.07), but the combined group revealed a more significant female sex ratio of 80.4% (p < 0.0001). All symptoms except emotional behavior were significantly more frequent in EHS patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.0001). We found no pathognomonic symptoms to establish the diagnosis of both disorders or to distinguish EHS from MCS. The three groups of patients were found to share identical symptoms, while several symptoms were found to be more significantly frequent in EHS/MCS than in EHS (p < 0.0001). From these data, we suggest that EHS and MCS are new brain disorders, generated via a common etiopathogenic mechanism.

Full text of paper:
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/23/7421

Switzerland: Electrohypersensitive people can't take it anymore!

Switzerland: Electrohypersensitive people can't take it anymore!

A petition has been launched for people suffering from electrohypersensitivity (EHS) to be recognized.
by Eric Felley, lematin.ch, 6 déc 2023 - auto-translation

 

In Bern, the Federal Council has just confirmed that it will do nothing in Switzerland to monitor the compliance of smartphones with radiation safety standards, unlike in France. This news distresses Marie Gontier, head of the “Suisse-electrosensible” association : “More and more Swiss citizens are declaring themselves electrohypersensitive (EHS), she observes. These people make a direct link between their symptoms and exposure to electromagnetic waves.

(Photo): There are more and more people suffering from hypersensitivity to electro-magnetic waves.Getty Images

Case Study on 5G: "A 49-Year-Old Man Developed Severe Microwave Syndrome after Activation of 5G Base Station 20 Meters from his Apartment"

Mona Nilsson, Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation, and Dr. Lennart Hardell, the Environment and Cancer Research Foundation,  have published a new case study on 5G: "A 49-Year-Old Man Developed Severe Microwave Syndrome after Activation of 5G Base Station 20 Meters from his Apartment" in the Journal of Community Medicine & Public Health

Link to study: 

https://www.stralskyddsstiftelsen.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/microwave-syndrome_man49years_Nilsson_Hardell_nov2023.pdf

Conclusion: "This case study showed that a man living in an apartment at a distance of 20 meters from a 5G base station quickly developed severe symptoms of the microwave syndrome. The study confirmed previous case studies that 5G entails very high RF radiation exposure that causes illness in people living in the vicinity, and that the exposure levels that caused this illness are very much below the ICNIRP limits. There are no studies showing that 5G is safe for human health."

"Canary in a Gold Mine" comes to Hollywood - 11 November 2023

"Canary in a Gold Mine" comes to Hollywood - California premiere on 11 November - play/movie about electrohypersensitivity to be presented by the Piti Theatre Co. followed by a discussion including Brenda Martinez of Children's Health Defense and an electrosensitive building biologist, Michael Schwaebe.

Comp ticket requests: https://www.skiptownplayhouse.com/screeningschedule