‘Children Should Not Be the Guinea Pigs’ for Wireless Radiation ‘Experiment’

Editor’s note: HHS is asking the public to comment on possible harms to human health and the environment from radiofrequency (RF) radiation, more commonly referred to as wireless radiation. Click here for instructions on how to submit a comment. The deadline to submit comments is Oct. 21, 2026. Click here to read comments submitted by Children’s Health Defense CEO Mary Holland.

Below is the CHD Advocacy Team comment submitted to HHS.

In response to the Request for Information announced by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on September 17, 2026, the Advocacy Team at Children’s Health Defense (CHD) is submitting this comment to address growing concerns that the rapid expansion of wireless infrastructure and technology is outpacing our understanding of the harms it may pose to health and the environment.

The FCC regulates communications and technology, but HHS and its agencies have the public health and scientific expertise needed to evaluate the health effects of wireless radiation exposure. The FCC’s current radiofrequency (RF) guidelines were established three decades ago in 1996 — with no updates since. Wireless technology and the densification of wireless infrastructure has increased dramatically since the standards were first established. Yet the FCC has not provided the public with an adequate justification that its RF radiation guidelines are protective of public health in today’s highly dense exposure environments.

CHD has heard directly from and worked with several people that have experienced significant health issues they associate with wireless radiation exposure. In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, lawyers working on behalf of CHD represented residents who reported serious health effects directly following the installation and activation of a cell tower in their neighborhood. Many of these individuals were forced to leave their homes as a result, often without meaningful notice or opportunity for community input. It is of utmost importance that these experiences are not dismissed as they warrant serious and independent scientific investigation.

We have also heard from numerous parents concerned about the growing presence of wireless devices and screen-based technology in schools. Screen use and wireless connectivity have become a normal part of the school day, exposing vulnerable children to this invisible toxin. This is the first generation of children who will experience cradle to grave exposure. We must not wait for another generation of children to grow up before determining whether existing protections adequately address long-term, cumulative, and developmental exposure.

CHD also works with practitioners who report treating patients experiencing symptoms of Electromagnetic Radiation Syndrome (EMR-S). Symptoms include headaches, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, heart palpitations, insomnia, tinnitus and more serious diseases like cancer, neurological issues, and infertility. These individual experiences may be a warning of the widespread public health crisis that may result from the continued, uncontrolled deployment of wireless infrastructure and technology must not be dismissed or excluded from consideration. Furthermore, their experiences give us important insights into potential areas of scientific investigation.

Federal preemption presents an additional concern because it prevents communities from considering the health and environmental effects of wireless radiation exposure. Communities deserve transparency and a meaningful opportunity to raise legitimate concerns about infrastructure that may affect their neighborhoods and create unavoidable long-term exposure to wireless radiation.

CHD urges HHS to support independent, transparent scientific investigation on the health effects of RF radiation exposure, including impacts on children, pregnancy and fertility, long-term consequences, cumulative exposure, and environmental impacts.

Research should be independently funded and free from industry influence.

We cannot assume that the FCC’s RF radiation guidelines established in 1996 adequately protect public health, simply because they remain in place. Wireless technology itself, the densification of wireless infrastructure, and the nature and duration of exposure have all changed dramatically since the guidelines were adopted 30 years ago. Our scientific understanding must keep pace.

Our children should not be the guinea pigs for this nationwide experiment. We urge HHS to investigate the evidence, identify the research gaps, and fund the independent science necessary to determine whether existing protections are still relevant and adequately protect public health.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Locricchio
Senior Advocacy Manager
Children’s Health Defense

Michael Kane
Director of Advocacy
Children’s Health Defense

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Stephanie Locricchio

Stephanie Locricchio is the Senior Advocacy Manager at Children’s Health Defense, where she empowers families to use their voices, hold powerful industries accountable, and make informed decisions about their children’s health.