From Mona Nilsson:
Swedish Magazine New
Technique discloses hole in the firewall Feychting/Ahlbom
and Mobile phone industry
Prof Anders Ahlbom: "we are
totally independent."
google translation (source below)
Swedish
research on cell phone radiation is financed by industry. To ensure independent researchers Vinnova has
gone in as an intermediary. But new technology
could prove that this "firewall" deficiencies. Relations between industry and
researchers reported not set out herein. Maria
Feychting, professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska
Institute, KI, was recently Vice President of the Commission
ICNIRP, International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation
Protection, which sets limits on cell phone radiation and
other electromagnetic fields.
While she partially funded his
research into health and mobile phones via the telecom
industry, which she openly recognizes in his jävsdeklaration
to ICNIRP. TeliaSonera,
Ericsson and Telenor contributes 50 percent of the cost for
the Swedish part of the research project Cosmos (with over 50
000 mobile subscribers), now about 7 million.
Maria
Feychting sees no conflict in leading Icnirps activities while
she receives industry funding.
- I do not think there is a problem
because funds channeled through third parties acting firewall
between our researchers and industry, ensuring our
independence, she says.
But Ny Teknik's audit shows
that the industry and scientists first discuss together about
the funding and then turn to Vinnova and request authority to
act an intermediary.
Vinnova officer Pontus von Bahr stated that the
parties came to the former Director-General Per Eriksson with
the arrangement.
In this
context, established a so-called Firewall Agreement 2007,
which will protect researchers from "undue influence" of
mobile stakeholders.
According to Christer Törnevik,
research area manager at Ericsson, Ericsson began and
scientists to meet 2005th
-
Before the contract was written with Vinnova, we asked,
however, some quality-related issues, and suggested that
certain quality criteria should be included in the contract. It
is normal to have the opportunity to give our input and
comments on the design of studies, he said.
Ericsson has
proposed inter alia an international reference and the number
of survey persons would be at least 25 000, he says.
Vinnova has not had any insight into the informal
contacts that occurred when the firewall agreement is in
force.
Despite the wording of the agreement
that it will "ensure that all links" between companies and
researchers "are transparent" do not ask Vinnova any specific
reports of meetings.
The
Authority's list of the file are no records of such meetings.
People from Ericsson Research have sometimes
met with KI scientists since Cosmos project commenced in 2007.
These
meetings have been continued funding and technical
information, says Christer Törnevik
According to
Maria Feychting, she has participated in meetings with the
companies in 2006, 2009 and 2011, which among other things,
been the companies' interests to contribute funds.
Firewall
deal was until 2009. After signing a contract
extension for 2010. Since the agreement has ended.
Now scientists boxes again funding from
industry.
The project
manager for Cosmos, Anders Ahlbom, professor of epidemiology
at the Karolinska Institutet, sent October 6, 2011 an email
directly to Ericsson: one eleven-page application with project
and budget plan for 2012 to 2014. He writes in the email that
funding requires a firewall agreement "preferably by Vinnova."
The
researchers' request for funding will, according to Anders
Ahlbom, later sent to Vinnova.
- I can only say that this is normal. We have a
first discussion on the study itself, I see nothing strange
about it, says Christer Törnevik.
Tommy
Ljunggren, head of systems development in mobile, TeliaSonera,
says, however:
- It's a bit strange, I do not know why but we
have received an application to us directly and not through
Vinnova, he says.
The Company reserves
its position until it receives an application from Vinnova.
Anders Ahlbom:
- It may seem conspiratorial and wonder
that we have informal contacts with industry, but we are
totally independent. My
understanding is that the telecom industry to contribute
funding.
KI researchers Anders
Ahlbom, above, and Maria Feychting, right, drives the Swedish
part of the mobile research Cosmos. Anders Ahlbom's integrity as a scientist was questioned
last year by a working group of the UN's cancer research
agency IARC. Maria Feychting alone in Icnirps
Commissioners about getting research funds from the telecom
industry. Other ICNIRP members have
little or no industry connections.
http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/mobiltele/article3483861.ece
Cosmosstudien följer mobilanvändare i fem länder,
under 25 års tid. Foto: Jörgen Appelgren
Strålforskare kringgår avtalet om oberoende