Emmanuel Macron pleaded for the deployment of this new mobile technology, ironically about those who would prefer “the Amish model”. But there are questions about the possible impacts of 5G on health.
- “Yes, France will take the turn of 5G”, decided Emmanuel Macron, ironically on those who would prefer “the Amish model”
- The health effects of 5G are a source of scientific uncertainty and concern
While 70 elected leftists and environmentalists are asking for a moratorium on 5G, the head of state has decided. “Yes, France will take the turn of 5G”, launched Emmanuel Macron in front of digital companies, ironically on those who would prefer “the Amish model”, in reference to this American religious community hostile to technology.
Debates over the long-term effects of 5G
“I hear many voices that rise to explain to us that we should take up the complexity of contemporary problems by returning to the oil lamp! I do not believe that the Amish model makes it possible to solve the challenges of contemporary ecology “, insisted the President, triggering a cascade of reactions on the Web. Among the questions of Internet users, that of the impact of 5G on health is at the heart of the debates: where is the research?
A new international report, put forward by Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of Transformation and the Public Service, concludes that there are no specific effects of 5G on health, but only in the short term. “In view of the large number of studies published since the 1950s, in France and around the world, on the effects of radiofrequencies on health, there is, according to the consensus of national and international health agencies, no adverse effects harmful short-term effects, i.e. deleterious thermal effects on tissues, below the exposure limit values recommended by ICNIRP, neither in the general public nor in workers (…) .Furthermore, no causal link has been demonstrated between electromagnetic waves and electromagnetic hypersensitivity of people”, note the experts.
In the long term, however, scientists are much more nuanced.“The possible long-term effects, carcinogenic or not, difficult to highlight, are at this stage, for the most part, not proven according to the same national and international agencies. Debates persist, however, in particular for these long-term effects. , within the scientific community. No proven effects have been demonstrated in children without the possibility of cognitive effects being excluded”, can we read.
Direct penetration into the body
To develop, 5G will use new frequencies, which raise concerns. “5G will use new frequencies, 3.5 Ghz or 26 Ghz. If the first remains relatively close to the frequencies of 4G for which data is already available, no study exists to date on the 26 Ghz frequency which should be deployed around 2025 with direct penetration into the body and absorption through the first layers of the skin”, denounced last June several deputies Les Républicains, who are calling for the creation of a commission of inquiry into the effects of 5G on health.
In a preliminary report dated 27 January, ANSES warned against “a lack of scientific data on potential biological and health effects” from exposure to these new frequencies. Studying their effect on our health is not so easy, as Yves Le Dréan, researcher for Inserm in the Irset unit (Institute for research in health, environment and work) told us: “there are many methodological biases which may suggest that there is an effect [des ondes sur la santé humaine, NDLR] whereas this area is special because it requires dual skills, in biology and electronics. However, we see teams competent in biology but not at all in electronics conducting studies on the subject. They therefore see the biology moving but do not know if it is due to the waves or to the microwave effect of their exposure system which is not at all controlled. Conversely, there are studies carried out by physicists where the exposure is well controlled but not the biology. But these papers can still be published, depending on whether the journal specializes in biology or electronics.”
Launch of the commercialization at the end of the year
5G is part of a continuous process of technological improvement since 1G in the 1980s. This fifth generation of mobile network aims to improve performance (throughput, responsiveness, density of connected objects) compared to 4G, and is accompanied by the deployment of new types of antennas. Except in the event of a political decision to the contrary, auctions for the allocation of network frequencies will begin at the end of September for a marketing launch at the end of the year.
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