Update, July 2007
Since the beginning of 2007, there has been continued pressure on the European Commission from medics, academics, parliamentarians, government and industry to seek a resolution on the Physical Agents Directive and its impact on MRI.
At present:
- The Directive is unlikely to be implemented in 2008; more likely 2009 or 2010 with amendments
- The results of two recently published studies demonstrate that the limits the Directive imposes are too low and are being routinely broken by MRI scanners in clinical and research settings. The results of the study commissioned from Professor Crozier by the UK HSE showed that the problem is more extensive than the HSE had expected
- These results, which bear out the concerns that the MRI community has been expressing for the past four years, were presented to the European Commission and Parliament in May. As a result, the Commission has indicated to the Advisory Committee for Health and safety that it will propose an amendment to postpone the implementation date of the EMF Directive. The amendment is expected to be tabled at a meeting of the College of Commissioners shortly. It will be subject to co-decision, but has the support of all member states and is expected to go through the institutional consultation procedure speedily. The Commission has spoken of delay of up to 2 years. In the meantime, further research into exposures funded by the Commission will be completed, and updated advice is expected from ICNIRP
Last updated: July 11 2007