Professor Alan Preece · 18 November 04
The work of Professor Alan Preece has been widely used by MMO2, and by some within the police, as a major plank in their argument to suggest that TETRA is safe. This is not quite accurate.
Airwave MM02 has said (Nov. 2002) :
“There is also some very recent, and reassuring, scientific evidence coming to light. For example, Dr Alan Preece of the University of Bristol published research in June, based on trials of TETRA handsets on human volunteers, which found no effect on cognitive brain function… What the scientific community is telling Airwave is that, on balance, there is no evidence that the special features of the Tetra technology we use is a risk to public health.”
This statement has been repeated by the police, for example Dyfed-Powys Police Superintendent Gary Evans, Business Change and Programme Manager, writing in reference to a letter from Cllr Edward Breeze, Mayor of Llanidloes states (12 October 2004) :
“There is also some very recent scientific evidence coming to light. For example, Dr Alan Preece of the University of Bristol published research in June 2003, based on trials of TETRA handsets on human volunteers, which found no effect on cognitive brain function…”
Commenting on the above statement from MMO2, campaigners have said:
“This statement is grossly misleading. Cognitive brain function is irrelevant here. It has nothing to do with calcium leakage. Professor Preece tested for, but failed to find, a very specific effect – which does not relate in any way to the pulsing or amplitude modulation causing concern in respect of Tetra. Also, Prof. Preece was given funding to conduct a small research project into the effect of using Tetra handsets. On completion, it was widely circulated that no ill effects were found (i.e. Tetra handsets are safe). Prof. Preece has since protested publicly that this was not the conclusion of his study; the results were inconclusive and he recommended further research as a matter of urgency…Prof. Preece …accepts that there is sufficient independent scientific evidence that such radiation causes biological as well as heat effects.”
Professor Preece was asked (November 2004) for his position. He replied:
“My comments about the small study on TETRA handsets were that we were not able to demonstrate cognitive changes with the dummy handsets that we used and would like to repeat the work with the proper thing (technical problems with interference limiting the power we could use). This is something we are doing right now through the MTHR with funds provided by the Home Office and handsets provided by MTHR . I expect those results by the new year. What I did say is that at the time I could see nothing that was in addition to the effects brought about by GSM exposure – i.e. there was nothing spectacularly more than reported for GSM 900.
I have never changed my mind about the possible hazards of ELF fields ever since the Feychting and Ahlbohm studies on Childhood leukaemia – in fact I was on the group that concluded for the NIEHS (US Dept of Energy research Programme) thet ELF was a possible human carcinogen. If you look through the proceedings all those years ago you will see I chaired one of the DoE sessions that led up to that conclusion now accepted by IARC and NRPB.
Remember however that ELF (power frequency) fields are totally different than microwave or even UHF radiation – but where the transition occurs we have no clue.
I hope this clarifies!
Sincerely
Alan Preece”
