"A paper that claims to objectively evaluate the basis for the Russian RF standard has just been published in Bioelectromagnetics online. Titled, Scientific Basis for the Soviet and Russian Radiofrequency Standards for the General Public, the authors are Michael Repacholi, Yuri Grigoriev, Jochen Buschmann, and Claudio Pioli.

"I find it interesting that the lead author is Michael Repacholi and any correspondence about the paper must be sent to Repacholi. However, rather than declaring his extensive history of conflict of interest, none is declared and this significant omission does not appear to be an issue with the Bioelectromagnetics editorial board."

In this response, Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D. comments on the Repacholi et al Russian review:

Joel Moskowitz,
Director,
Center for Family and Community Health,
The UC Berkeley Prevention Research Center,
School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley

"In the attached review paper just published online in Bioelectromagnetics, Repacholi and colleagues allege that there are methodologic weaknesses with the research that underlies the Russian RF standards; however, they claim the purpose of the review was not to criticize the research. The main purpose of this paper is to take issue with the "philosophy" underlying the Russian standard setting, a philosophy based on the precautionary principle.

"Repacholi et al. point out that the Russian RF standards were based on studies that demonstrated autoimmune effects of exposure to RF that were not necessarily pathological. In contrast to standards adopted by other governments including the U.S., Russia adopted a precautionary approach in setting the RF standards . . .