“EMFs Are Bad: Literally over 10,000 Studies document ill Effects Including Cancer and Tumour Growth, RFK Jr. Says”
16th January 2026
Federal study follows decades of global concern and advocacy on mobile phone radiation, with RFK Jr., Children’s Health Defence, the EM Radiation Research Trust (RRT), and many other international campaigns calling for independent safety research.
On 15 January 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will launch a new federal study into mobile phone radiation and potential health effects. The announcement notes that the study builds on concerns raised by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has publicly highlighted links between mobile phone radiation and neurological damage and cancer. The study aims to identify gaps in current knowledge about radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and ensure public safety and efficacy. (reuters.com)
To provide context, the following is taken directly from the Reuters report: – ‘Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that 22 states had restricted mobile phone use in schools to support the mental and physical health of children under the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed older webpages stating that mobile phones are safe and not linked to health effects while HHS undertakes updated research. (reuters.com)’.
We commend Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for speaking openly about the potential health risks of electromagnetic radiation. RFK Jr. tells USA TODAY – 5G towers for cellphone use ‘a major health concern’, he said:
“I’m very concerned about it, calling 5G is actually a misnomer, because that doesn’t have to do with 5G and doesn’t tell you what’s wrong with EMFs. EMFs are bad, depending on the pulse rates and the wavelengths, and some of them are very bad. And in Europe, the regulations are an order of magnitude lower than what we allow here, but there are literally over 10,000 studies that document a number of ill effects, including cancer, tumour growth.”
This is the USA TODAY interview in which RFK Jr. discussed these health concerns. Fri, January 16, 2026 interview here: https://eu.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2026/01/16/rfk-jr-says-electromagnetic-radiation-is-a-major-health-concern/88221971007/
Following on from RFK Jr.’s comments, the evidence includes the U.S. National Toxicology Program animal studies, among the most comprehensive experiments on cell phone RF exposure. These studies cost 25 to 30 million dollars and took over a decade. They provide clear evidence of cancer, findings independently confirmed by the prestigious Ramazzini Institute.
RRT Submission Accepted by FCC
On 15 January 2026, the EM Radiation Research Trust submitted expert evidence to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, and our submission has been officially accepted by the FCC (view submission)
This announcement comes amid decades of ongoing concern from independent scientists, public health advocates, and campaigners worldwide about potential risks from electromagnetic fields, particularly for children and other vulnerable populations. In 2009, the EM Radiation Research Trust collaborated with other experts on the widely cited report Cellphones and Brain Tumours: 15 Reasons for Concern, Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone, which highlights methodological weaknesses in major telecom-funded studies, potential underestimation of risks, and the need for research designed to address these limitations. We hope that this latest U.S. study will be conducted with robust methodology to address these gaps and prioritise the protection of children. (radiationresearch.org)
Voices from 15 Reasons for Concern
A quote from one of the report’s endorsers emphasises the urgency of these issues:
Recommendations from 15 Reasons for Concern
The report concludes with a set of actions for governments and policymakers, including:
- ◆ Ban marketing campaigns for mobile phones aimed solely at children.
- ◆ Require proof of liability insurance for potential health risks before wireless devices are sold.
- ◆ Review the scientific basis and adequacy of EMF exposure limits.
- ◆ Fund independent research into long-term health effects of mobile phones and other EMF sources, particularly for children.
- ◆ Run awareness campaigns for young people to minimise exposure to mobile phone radiation.
- ◆ Require warning labels on all wireless devices.
- ◆ Publish maps of exposure from high-voltage power lines, telecommunication masts, radio repeaters, and antennas.
- ◆ Issue yearly reports on electromagnetic radiation levels in each country.
- ◆ Pass legislation to reward whistle-blowers who provide cellphone industry documentation acknowledging harmful effects.
- ◆ Adopt biologically based exposure limits that account for non-thermal effects, rather than assuming only heating effects are relevant.
- ◆ Expedite the release of full results from the Interphone study, including risk by tumour location, and correct serious design limitations where identified.
These recommendations reflect a call for independent, precautionary, and child-focused approaches to electromagnetic field exposures.
CHD / RFK Jr. Statement Supporting RRT Advocacy
In May 2020, the EM Radiation Research Trust submitted a letter to the UK Prime Minister urging a pause in 5G rollout until independent health research demonstrates safety. The letter included a statement directly from Children’s Health Defence (CHD): “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Chairman of CHD, and Dafna Tachover, Director of CHD’s 5G & Wireless Harms project support the UK EM Radiation Research Trust in their call on the UK Government to defend the rights and health of UK citizens and especially children from Big Telecom’s scheme to rollout 5G. The harms of radio-frequencies and microwave-based technologies have been proven scientifically and the harms are existing and widespread. We work daily with children who have been injured from this technology including from 5G small cell installations. The UK’s ICNIRP based guidelines, just like the US’s FCC, are decades obsolete and false. ICNIRP is an industry shell and its scientists are tainted as has been confirmed by Courts. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. calls on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and political leaders to protect those who have been harmed already by this radiation and prevent further harm. We must stop the uncontrolled proliferation of wireless technology and the on-going deployment of 5G, which will exponentially increase exposure to this harmful radiation and consequently, the sickness of children, adults and the ecosystem.” (radiationresearch.org)
Image created by CHD (2020) showing RFK Jr. and Eileen O’Connor calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to halt 5G
Despite repeated follow-ups calling for a response to the EM Radiation Research Trust’s 2020 letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK Government has remained silent. The UK continues the rollout of 5G (RRT questions £600M 5G investment in Wales) and has announced a £45 million scheme to fund school Wi-Fi upgrades (Gov.uk announcement). Experts warn that such upgrades can increase children’s daily RF exposure by two to ten times, placing pupils, particularly the most vulnerable, at greater risk. Children, families, and other vulnerable populations remain exposed to increasing levels of wireless radiation, highlighting the urgent need for governments to prioritise the precautionary approach over industry expansion.
U.S. HHS Study and Global Context
The U.S. HHS study represents an important step towards revisiting long-standing questions about wireless radiation and public health. While we welcome the release of funds for further research, the question remains, when will enough be enough before precautionary action is taken? Decades of independent studies already highlight potential risks. Key EMF research resources include:
- ◆ BioInitiative Report – over 4,000 studies (bioinitiative.org)
- ◆ Powerwatch – over 1,600 ELF/EMF studies (powerwatch.org.uk)
- ◆ EMF‑Portal – 48,631 publications (emf-portal.org)
- ◆ Safer EMR – 2,500+ abstracts (saferemr.com)
This growing body of evidence underscores the urgent need for governments to prioritise public health over industry expansion and implement precautionary measures to protect children, families, and vulnerable populations worldwide.
For a full overview of the science and the global implications, see Global Alert: A Planetary Threat Hidden in Plain Sight (Free full download at: https://radiationresearch.org/global-alert-a-planetary-threat-hidden-in-plain-sight/ )