Dear S C McKee

Thank you for your email dated 10 April 2019 requesting the following
information under the Official Information Act 1982:

What assessment has been done by the Ministry of Health, into the health
impacts of 5G technology, that is being proposed for New Zealand?

Is the Ministry aware of the concerns of International medical scientists
on this issue?

What are the current standards in New Zealand for exposure limits to
millimeter waves?

Are past standards being reviewed in the light of recent scientific
research?
See example below.
Yours sincerely,
Stephanie McKee

********************************************************************************************************
Here is just one example of scientific alarm bells from the International
Journal of Hygene and Environmental research  ( 2018)

Extract from the Abstract:
.."although the biological effects of 5G communication systems are very
scarcely investigated, an international action plan for the development of
5G networks has started, with a forthcoming increment in devices and
density of small cells, and with the future use of millimeter waves (MMW).
Preliminary observations showed that MMW increase skin temperature, alter
gene expression, promote cellular proliferation and synthesis of proteins
linked with oxidative stress, inflammatory and metabolic processes, could
generate ocular damages, affect neuro-muscular dynamics. Further studies
are needed to better and independently explore the health effects of
RF-EMF in general and of MMW in particular. However, available findings
seem sufficient to demonstrate the existence of biomedical effects, to
invoke the precautionary principle, to define exposed subjects as
potentially vulnerable and to revise existing limits."
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Apr;221(3):367-375. doi:
10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011. Epub 2018 Feb 2.
Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications?
Di Ciaula A1.
Division of Internal Medicine, Hospital of Bisceglie (ASL BAT), Bisceglie,
Italy; International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Arezzo,
Italy.
***************************************************************************************************************

The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H201902432.

As required under the Act we will endeavour to respond to your request no
later than 13 May 2019, being 20 working days after the day your request
was received.  

If we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we
will notify you of an extension of that time frame.

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.
 
Yours sincerely,

Ministerial Services (OIA)
[Ministry of Health request email]  

Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
[1]www.health.govt.nz

From:        S C McKee <[FOI #10048 email]>
To:        OIA/LGOIMA requests at Ministry of Health <[Ministry of Health request email]>,
Date:        10/04/2019 10:03 a.m.
Subject:        Official Information request - Health Impacts of 5G
Technology

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Dear Ministry of Health,
What assessment has been done by the Ministry of Health, into the health
impacts of 5G technology, that is being proposed for New Zealand?

Is the Ministry aware of the concerns of International medical scientists
on this issue?

What are the current standards in New Zealand for exposure limits to
millimeter waves?

Are past standards being reviewed in the light of recent scientific
research?
See example below.
Yours sincerely,
Stephanie McKee

********************************************************************************************************
Here is just one example of scientific alarm bells from the International
Journal of Hygene and Environmental research  ( 2018)

Extract from the Abstract:
.."although the biological effects of 5G communication systems are very
scarcely investigated, an international action plan for the development of
5G networks has started, with a forthcoming increment in devices and
density of small cells, and with the future use of millimeter waves (MMW).
Preliminary observations showed that MMW increase skin temperature, alter
gene expression, promote cellular proliferation and synthesis of proteins
linked with oxidative stress, inflammatory and metabolic processes, could
generate ocular damages, affect neuro-muscular dynamics. Further studies
are needed to better and independently explore the health effects of
RF-EMF in general and of MMW in particular. However, available findings
seem sufficient to demonstrate the existence of biomedical effects, to
invoke the precautionary principle, to define exposed subjects as
potentially vulnerable and to revise existing limits."
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Apr;221(3):367-375. doi:
10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011. Epub 2018 Feb 2.
Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications?
Di Ciaula A1.
Division of Internal Medicine, Hospital of Bisceglie (ASL BAT), Bisceglie,
Italy; International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Arezzo,
Italy.
***************************************************************************************************************

Yours faithfully,

S C McKee

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Dear Stephanie McKee,

Please find a response to your request for information under the Official
Information Act attached.

Sincerely,

Sarah-Kate

Ministerial Services (OIA)
[Ministry of Health request email]  

Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
[1]www.health.govt.nz

****************************************************************************
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
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