Ahlbom & Feychting conflict of interest
"A. Ahlbom and M. Feychting are coinvestigators for the COSMOS study of mobile phone use and health, the Swedish part of which is funded by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, AFA Insurance, and VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems. VINNOVA received funds for this purpose from TellaSonera, Ericsson AB, and Telenor. Industry funding was given under agreements that the studies be given complete scientific independence. A. Ahlbom and M. Feychting are, or have been, members of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, an independent body setting guidelines for nonionizing radiation protection. They also serve as advisers to a number of public advisory and research steering groups concerning the potential health effects of exposure to nonionizing radiation. None of the authors has had assignments for the telecom industry. The authors reported no other financial interests related to this research."
Nyteknik article:
Google translation of Ny technik article: Maria Feychting, professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute, KI, was recently Vice President of the Commission ICNIRP, International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection, which sets limits on cell phone radiation and other electromagnetic fields.
While she partially funded his research into health and mobile phones via the telecom industry, which she openly recognizes in his jävsdeklaration to ICNIRP. TeliaSonera, Ericsson and Telenor contributes 50 percent of the cost for the Swedish part of the research project Cosmos (with over 50 000 mobile subscribers), now about 7 million.
Maria Feychting sees no conflict in leading Icnirps activities while she receives industry funding.
- I do not think there is a problem because funds channeled through third parties acting firewall between our researchers and industry, ensuring our independence, she says.
But Ny Teknik's audit shows that the industry and scientists first discuss together about the funding and then turn to Vinnova and request authority to act an intermediary.
Vinnova officer Pontus von Bahr stated that the parties came to the former Director-General Per Eriksson with the arrangement.
In this context, established a so-called Firewall Agreement 2007, which will protect researchers from "undue influence" of mobile stakeholders.
According to Christer Törnevik, research area manager at Ericsson, Ericsson began and scientists to meet 2005th
- Before the contract was written with Vinnova, we asked, however, some quality-related issues, and suggested that certain quality criteria should be included in the contract. It is normal to have the opportunity to give our input and comments on the design of studies, he said.
Ericsson has proposed inter alia an international reference and the number of survey persons would be at least 25 000, he says.
Vinnova's insight into the informal contacts that occurred when the firewall agreement in force has been very limited.Despite the wording of the agreement that it will "ensure that all links" between companies and researchers "are transparent" do not ask Vinnova any specific reports of meetings. Researchers have mentioned relations with industry in the progress reports to the Vinnova. There is however no information on meeting dates, agenda and participants. The Authority's list of the file are no records of such meetings.
People from Ericsson Research have sometimes met with KI scientists since Cosmos project commenced in 2007.These meetings have been continued funding and technical information, says Christer Törnevik
According to Maria Feychting, she has participated in meetings with the companies in 2006, 2009 and 2011, which among other things, been the companies' interests to contribute funds.
Firewall deal was until 2009. After signing a contract extension for 2010. Since the agreement has ended.
Now scientists boxes again funding from industry.
The project manager for Cosmos, Anders Ahlbom, professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet, sent October 6, 2011 an email directly to Ericsson: one eleven-page application with project and budget plan for 2012 to 2014. He writes in the email that funding requires a firewall agreement "preferably by Vinnova."
The researchers' request for funding will, according to Anders Ahlbom, later sent to Vinnova.
- I can only say that this is normal. We have a first discussion on the study itself, I see nothing strange about it, says Christer Törnevik.
Tommy Ljunggren, head of systems development in mobile, TeliaSonera, says, however:
- It's a bit strange, I do not know why but we have received an application to us directly and not through Vinnova, he says.The Company reserves its position until it receives an application from Vinnova.
Anders Ahlbom:
- It may seem conspiratorial and wonder that we have informal contacts with industry, but we are totally independent.My understanding is that the telecom industry to contribute funding.
KI researchers Anders Ahlbom, above, and Maria Feychting, right, drives the Swedish part of the mobile research Cosmos. Anders Ahlbom's integrity as a scientist was questioned last year by a working group of the UN's cancer research agency IARC. Maria Feychting alone in Icnirps Commissioners about getting research funds from the telecom industry. Other ICNIRP members have little or no industry connections.
(An earlier version of this article, data on the meetings with industry briefly been mentioned in the progress reports to the Vinnova.)
While she partially funded his research into health and mobile phones via the telecom industry, which she openly recognizes in his jävsdeklaration to ICNIRP. TeliaSonera, Ericsson and Telenor contributes 50 percent of the cost for the Swedish part of the research project Cosmos (with over 50 000 mobile subscribers), now about 7 million.
Maria Feychting sees no conflict in leading Icnirps activities while she receives industry funding.
- I do not think there is a problem because funds channeled through third parties acting firewall between our researchers and industry, ensuring our independence, she says.
But Ny Teknik's audit shows that the industry and scientists first discuss together about the funding and then turn to Vinnova and request authority to act an intermediary.
Vinnova officer Pontus von Bahr stated that the parties came to the former Director-General Per Eriksson with the arrangement.
In this context, established a so-called Firewall Agreement 2007, which will protect researchers from "undue influence" of mobile stakeholders.
According to Christer Törnevik, research area manager at Ericsson, Ericsson began and scientists to meet 2005th
- Before the contract was written with Vinnova, we asked, however, some quality-related issues, and suggested that certain quality criteria should be included in the contract. It is normal to have the opportunity to give our input and comments on the design of studies, he said.
Ericsson has proposed inter alia an international reference and the number of survey persons would be at least 25 000, he says.
Vinnova's insight into the informal contacts that occurred when the firewall agreement in force has been very limited.Despite the wording of the agreement that it will "ensure that all links" between companies and researchers "are transparent" do not ask Vinnova any specific reports of meetings. Researchers have mentioned relations with industry in the progress reports to the Vinnova. There is however no information on meeting dates, agenda and participants. The Authority's list of the file are no records of such meetings.
People from Ericsson Research have sometimes met with KI scientists since Cosmos project commenced in 2007.These meetings have been continued funding and technical information, says Christer Törnevik
According to Maria Feychting, she has participated in meetings with the companies in 2006, 2009 and 2011, which among other things, been the companies' interests to contribute funds.
Firewall deal was until 2009. After signing a contract extension for 2010. Since the agreement has ended.
Now scientists boxes again funding from industry.
The project manager for Cosmos, Anders Ahlbom, professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet, sent October 6, 2011 an email directly to Ericsson: one eleven-page application with project and budget plan for 2012 to 2014. He writes in the email that funding requires a firewall agreement "preferably by Vinnova."
The researchers' request for funding will, according to Anders Ahlbom, later sent to Vinnova.
- I can only say that this is normal. We have a first discussion on the study itself, I see nothing strange about it, says Christer Törnevik.
Tommy Ljunggren, head of systems development in mobile, TeliaSonera, says, however:
- It's a bit strange, I do not know why but we have received an application to us directly and not through Vinnova, he says.The Company reserves its position until it receives an application from Vinnova.
Anders Ahlbom:
- It may seem conspiratorial and wonder that we have informal contacts with industry, but we are totally independent.My understanding is that the telecom industry to contribute funding.
KI researchers Anders Ahlbom, above, and Maria Feychting, right, drives the Swedish part of the mobile research Cosmos. Anders Ahlbom's integrity as a scientist was questioned last year by a working group of the UN's cancer research agency IARC. Maria Feychting alone in Icnirps Commissioners about getting research funds from the telecom industry. Other ICNIRP members have little or no industry connections.
(An earlier version of this article, data on the meetings with industry briefly been mentioned in the progress reports to the Vinnova.)
