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| Wi-fi health study gets go ahead | Wi-fi health study gets go ahead |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The government is taking another look at the effect that wireless networks have on health. | The government is taking another look at the effect that wireless networks have on health. |
| The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced it will carry out "systematic" research into how wireless networks are being used. | The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced it will carry out "systematic" research into how wireless networks are being used. |
| The research will aim to establish average exposure to the low level radiation emitted by wi-fi access points and wireless links on computers. | The research will aim to establish average exposure to the low level radiation emitted by wi-fi access points and wireless links on computers. |
| The HPA said it expected the results of the research to be "re-assuring". | The HPA said it expected the results of the research to be "re-assuring". |
| Average exposure | |
| In its statement outlining its intentions, Professor Pat Troop, chief executive of the agency, said there was "no scientific evidence to date" that wi-fi or wireless local networks could have an adverse effect on the health of the general population. | |
| The signals used on wi-fi networks were very low power, said the HPA, and well within guidelines issued by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP). | |
| "Given this, there is no particular reason why schools and others should not continue to use wi-fi or other wireless networks," said Prof Troop. | |
| However, she added, little work had so far been done on the exposure of the average person to wi-fi networks. The research will aim to establish a baseline for this exposure. | |
| The HPA said it was "logical" to consider this research work in light of advice from the agency itself and England's Chief Medical Officer that children should limit non-essential use of mobile phones. | |
| The agency said it was now consulting with other government departments about the best way to carry out the research project. | |
| It said that the results of the research would be published on its website and submitted to peer-reviewed journals. | |
| Wi-fi networks have been in the news because some teachers have expressed worries about its effect on the health of pupils. | |
| In August 2007 the Professional Association of Teachers said pupils were being used as "guinea pigs" until the safety of wi-fi was established. | |
| The government has said its expert advice was that there was no problem with wi-fi, nor any reason to discourage its use. |