In February 2006 Götene's municipality in Västergötland, Sweden, put it's wireless internet system into use. Right after this, 8 citizens got ill (heart palpitations, breathing problems, nausea, headache, dizziness, etc.) and some of them had to leave their home and settle down in the woods, in small cottages. Against this background the question of wireless internet radiation was discussed in the public service prime time TV program "Debatt", Tuesday May 23rd, 2006 by Hans Wiksell, professor at the Karolinska Institute, Olle Johansson, assoc. prof. at the Karolinska Institute, Lars Mjönes at the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, and Mona Nilsson, freelance writer. Host: Lennart Persson.

Two main focuses were identified, one being about the handicap perspective of electrohypersensitivity and the role of municipalities regarding accessability measures for persons with this functional impairment. A second focus dealt with the scientific background, the build-up of various official authorities, like the ICNIRP and the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority, and the fact that the experts who are critical - and are in majority in Sweden - are not allowed to participate in scientific committees as well as writing reviews about this issue. Hans Wiksell told the public that his personal opinion is that there are no non-thermal effects, and Lars Mjönes claimed that there are no studies showing any medical effects like those that people are experiencing. Arguments challenging these views were given by Mona Nilsson and Olle Johansson.

The program can be viewed via this page until June 22nd:
http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=28904&a=593791

Olle Johansson, assoc. prof.
The Experimental Dermatology Unit
Department of Neuroscience
Karolinska Institute
171 77 Stockholm
Sweden