Conducted studies

The concern for human health and the factors that can affect it have meant that since the 1960s, and particularly since the late 1970s, a multitude of studies have been performed on whether the electric and magnetic fields generated by electrical installations represent any kind of health risk. This research into the biological effects of electromagnetic fields has generated more than 25,000 scientific articles (according to data of the World Health Organization), which may make them the most widely-studied agent in history. These studies have mainly been performed in two spheres, the epidemiological and the biophysical.

Epidemiological aspects

By applying statistical methods, epidemiology studies, whether there exists any kind of association between a particular agent and an illness: a comparison is made between the incidence of the illness in groups of persons exposed to the agent and groups of persons not exposed to it.

The epidemiological studies performed in recent years conclude categorically that the electric and magnetic fields generated by high-voltage electrical power lines do not represent any risk for public health; in particular, they do not increase the risk of any type of cancer.

Biophysical aspects

In spite of the exhaustive conducted studies, no biophysical interaction mechanism has been discovered that could explain how fields of such low frequency and intensity as those generated by electrical installations could produce long-term harmful effects (illnesses) on living beings.

The only known and proven effects of industrial-frequency electric and magnetic fields are the short-term effects, which range from simple discomforts like tingling of the skin or sparks on touching an exposed object to muscle contractions, but always at field levels much greater than those generated by electrical installations.

As for possible health impacts, biological experimentation in the laboratory, either in vitro exposing cells and tissues in culture to the action of fields or in vivo on complete bodies, has also discarded any relationship with carcinogenic processes, immune response, fertility, reproduction and development, alterations of the cardiovascular system, behavior, stress, etc.

In summary, it can be affirmed categorically that industrial-frequency electromagnetic fields do not cause any direct damage to the genetic material of the cells (DNA), and therefore do not produce malformations or cancer.