FMK: Dr. Oberfeld withdraws cancer study

"The court settlement and Dr. Oberfeld's acceptance of the fact that there was never a C-Net station in Hausmannstätten is important", explains FMK managing director Maximilian Maier, on the occasion of today's settlement. The settlement of legal proceedings with respect to the cancer study before Salzburg Regional Court today was requested by Dr. Oberfeld and shows that mobilkom austria was only interested in clarifying the issue and upholding scientific correctness. "With the acknowledgment everything has been resolved in terms of the issue and preventative action has been taken against the creation of a myth. This cancer study is erroneous and all those affected must be informed as soon as possible in order to prevent further alarm and damage."

In a study commissioned by the Styrian State Ministry of Health, the Salzburg environmental physician and adviser to the Austrian Medical Chamber Dr. Gerd Oberfeld had established a significantly elevated risk of cancer within 200 meters of a mobile phone station (C-Net) in the Vasoldsberg/Hausmannstätten area between 1984 and 1997. However, there has never been a C-Net station at this site and no mobile phone station at all until 1994. The Austrian mobile telephone operators, who all showed solidarity in these legal proceedings, are hopeful that "discussions will be objective and guidelines for good research practice will be implemented in Austria" now that the author of the study has made this concession.

Legal proceedings became inevitable: Non-compliance with basic principles of scientific endeavour

After Dr. Oberfeld had refused to accept the clearly proven fact that there was no C-Net station in Hausmannstätten and his study therefore had no foundation, there remained no alternative but to initiate legal proceedings. The evidence included aerial photographs, contemporary witnesses, confirmation from the Ministry of Transport, the official chronology of this site (automatic telephone exchange), and lists of C-Net sites. "This was a well-considered decision reached over a long period of time. In science (almost) everything is permitted, except the absence of facts. Otherwise, this would mean abandoning the foundations of science and opening the way to arbitrariness. In this instance the boundary had been crossed because the basis of the study involved the fate of the residents of Hausmannstätten. These people were led to believe by a study that the cause of their cancer illnesses and their suffering had been established by research," reminds Maier, referring to the motivation behind the legal action taken.

 "That is dangerous and contradicts the responsibility for objectivity and accuracy that Dr. Oberfeld is obliged to observe as a doctor and a representative of the Austrian public health system", criticises Maier.

Negative consequences for Austria as a research location must be avoided

"Unfortunately, the damage has already been done and the reputation of Austria as a location for scientific research has been thoroughly battered internationally. Now it is all about damage control", states Maier, using this case vicariously as an opportunity to criticise the situation with respect to Austrian mobile telephone research, adding: "The question may well be asked as to why the negative and dubious events in Austria's research are concentrated on mobile telephony." Maier also sees this case as an opportunity if "the right conclusions are drawn in a similar manner as occurred with the wine scandal in the past". He also points out that nothing should be swept under the carpet as the reputation of Austria's scientific community and trust in the Austrian public health system are at stake.

Initiate mobile telephone dialogue for the future

It is more about setting high scientific quality standards and structural conditions jointly that restrict such work and methods and also helping to create a foundation for the development of trust in the Austrian scientific community. Maier sees the common objective being in the creation of guidelines for good research practice (e.g.: independent replicability, statistical robustness, exclusion of co-factors; Work must stand up to scientific examination; measurements by testing institutes accredited in Austria; Assessment of the overall scientific state of knowledge. interdisciplinary research and precise auditing of the use of taxpayers' money for research work). "If these guidelines can be established, then the proverbial wheat could be extracted from the chaff and this would signal the start of a more objective and mobile telephone debate," states Maier, convinced of the necessity of such a body of regulations and announcing that "in the coming weeks and months approaches will be made to the relevant committees and the mobile telephone dialogue of the future intensified."

Forum Mobilkommunikation (Forum Mobile Communication)

The voluntary industry initiative FMK is your contact partner for all issues regarding mobile communications and mobile phone infrastructure.  The FMK mediates between operators and communities to find joint solutions.  We can supply you with figures, data and facts so that you can make up your own mind about mobile telecommunications.  Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, FEEI, Hutchison 3G Austria, Kapsch Carrier Com, mobilkom austria, Motorola, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Orange, Samsung, Siemens, Sony Ericsson and T-Mobile support FMK.