U.S. Advances EMF Research, UK Lags Behind
On September 11, 2025, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its Strategy Report on Childhood Chronic Disease and Environmental Health (DocumentCloud, 2025). For the first time, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) were formally acknowledged as an issue requiring cabinet-level attention within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Reported by Environmental Health Trust (EHT) – a leading public interest non-profit dedicated to educating the public about EMF and wireless radiation risks, advocating for precautionary policies, and supporting independent scientific research. EHT has been instrumental in bringing EMF exposure to the attention of policymakers in the U.S. and globally, providing detailed briefings, convening expert panels, and publishing accessible summaries of peer-reviewed studies. Their reporting on the MAHA Commission’s Strategy Report highlights the urgent need for similar federal-level action in the UK, underscoring how independent advocacy groups can influence public health priorities.
https://ehtrust.org/new-maha-commission-report-addresses-emfs-a-positive-breakthrough/
Landmark U.S. Legal Precedent on EMF Safety
Further underscoring the need for urgent action, in 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had failed to justify why its 1996 RF safety guidelines adequately protect public health. The Environmental Health Trust and Children’s Health Defense had submitted over 11,000 pages of scientific evidence showing that these outdated guidelines ignore non-thermal biological effects of wireless radiation, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, neurological impairments, and developmental impacts on children. The Court agreed that the FCC had not provided a reasoned explanation for its reliance on guidelines that consider only thermal effects, setting a landmark precedent for EMF safety. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal-appellate-courts/cadc/20-1025/20-1025-2021-08-13.htm
This decision highlights the importance of updating regulatory limits to account for the full spectrum of biological effects and signals the necessity for independent scientific review and precautionary measures. It also reinforces the MAHA Commission’s recognition that federal action is needed to protect children and the general public from long-term EMF risks.
While the MAHA Commission in the U.S. has finally placed EMFs on the national health agenda, it is a stark reminder that the UK has yet to take similar decisive action to protect children from the biological and neurological risks of wireless radiation.
This marks a turning point in public health policy, signalling a federal-level commitment to EMF research. The report commits HHS, together with other federal agencies, to undertake studies on EMFs and health, identify research gaps, and assess the safety and efficacy of emerging technologies. The Commission also recognised the urgent need for stronger research into the effects of digital technology on children’s mental health, particularly in relation to screen dependency and rising rates of anxiety, depression, and behavioural problems.
Building on Our May 2025 Response
Earlier this year, the EM Radiation Research Trust (RRT) submitted a formal letter of response to the MAHA Commission (O’Connor, 29 May 2025). While welcoming the report’s focus on screen dependency and mental health, the RRT emphasised that it omitted one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle: the biological and neurological impacts of chronic RF/EMF exposure.
In that letter, we cited the work of Prof. Dr. Gertraud Teuchert-Noodt, a distinguished neurobiologist, who has shown how early smartphone and wireless exposure affects the developing prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and dopaminergic systems, impairing impulse control, memory, and resilience. This is not simply a behavioural issue, but a neurological one.
We also reminded the Commission that its Chair, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has himself spoken out forcefully on this issue. In 2020, alongside Children’s Health Defense, he supported the RRT’s call to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to halt 5G deployment (RRT & RFK Jr. 2020 Letter), warning of “the uncontrolled proliferation of wireless technology” and the resulting sickness of children, adults, and the ecosystem.
That history of advocacy underscores the significance of the Commission’s recognition of EMFs in its September 2025 report, highlighting a level of action the UK has yet to match.
Why EMFs Must Be Central to Child Health Policy
Chronic EMF exposure particularly at night, during sleep, and in close contact with the body has been linked to:
- Sleep disruption
- Oxidative stress and inflammation
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Impaired neurological development in children
Over 23,000 studies are documented on EMF-Portal, with thousands more compiled in the BioInitiative Report and other independent reviews, demonstrating consistent biological effects.
As Dr. Robert O. Becker, twice Nobel-nominated, warned:
“The greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields… a far greater threat on a global scale than warming or chemicals.”
Bold action from HHS, FDA, and FCC is essential if we are to secure a healthy future.
To address childhood health crises fully, EMF exposure cannot remain a missing piece. It must be integrated into any comprehensive framework for protecting children’s mental and physical health. While the U.S. is beginning to take decisive steps, the UK continues to rely on outdated guidance and has yet to prioritise EMF research in child health policy an urgent gap that must be addressed to safeguard the next generation.
Next Steps and Recommendations
The EM Radiation Research Trust urges the following actions:
The EM Radiation Research Trust urges the following actions:
- Adopt Biologically Safe Guidelines: Update the UK’s RF/EMF exposure limits to reflect current science, including non-thermal biological effects. Guidelines must protect children, pregnant women, and vulnerable populations.
- Inclusion of RF/EMFs in National Health Frameworks: wireless radiation should be explicitly addressed alongside screen dependency, recognising their combined impact on children’s brains and wellbeing.
- Independent Scientific Review: Commission new studies free from industry influence, engaging independent experts to ensure guidelines and policy are evidence-based.
- Precautionary Action: Reduce children’s exposure in schools, bedrooms, and public spaces while research continues.
- Public Awareness: Provide families with clear guidance on how to minimise unnecessary EMF exposure.
- UK Call to Action: Encourage the UK Government to follow the example of the MAHA Commission and U.S. legal precedents, updating national guidance to protect children from both digital overload and RF/EMF radiation.
Conclusion
The MAHA Commission’s recognition of EMFs as a public health priority, combined with the CHD/EHT legal victory against the FCC, highlights a clear path forward: safety guidelines must be biologically based, precautionary, and protective of vulnerable populations.
The UK cannot continue to rely on outdated, thermal-only standards. Urgent action is required to implement biologically safe exposure limits, integrate EMF risks into child health policy, and protect the next generation from the neurological, biological, and environmental harms of chronic wireless radiation exposure.