Misleader of the Year 2004

Olle Johansson

Läs texten på svenska.

The Swedish Sceptics (Vetenskap och Folkbildning, VoF) is a non-profit organization with approximately 1600 members (as of 2004). VoF tries to inform the public and the media about the nature of science, explaining which questions are scientifically meaningful and which are not. In particular, VoF critically examines the scientific status of controversial phenomena and theories such as astrology, paranormal claims, homeopathy, UFO's, etc.

Each year, VoF appoints "Public educator of the year" as well as the less flattering "Misleader of the year". Below is an English version of the press release explaining associate professor Olle Johansson's appointment as "Misleader of the year 2004".

Following many years of public assertions and cocksure, blatant warnings of numerous negative health effects allegedly caused by electromagnetic fields, associate professor Olle Johansson has been awarded the title "Misleader of the year 2004".

Olle Johansson receives the award as one of the most prominent representatives of the far too many scientists who, to draw attention to themselves and funding for their own activities, disseminate worry among the public in mass media by presenting unsubstantiated hypotheses as established facts. According to VoF, Johansson's own research pertaining to electromagnetic fields is of low quality.

What is meant by low quality in this context needs an explanation. In controversial risk issues, nine criteria are often used (A. B. Hill, Proc R Soc Med 58, pp. 295-300, 1965) as the basis for claiming, for instance, that a specific environmental factor indeed causes a disease. The components of Olle Johansson's activities which concern electromagnetic fields, mobile phones and radiofrequency waves do not fulfill these criteria. This conclusion is also shared by the Swedish Research Council in the report "Research on health effects due to electromagnetic fields" (November 1, 2004, in Swedish), where it is emphasized that the research by Olle Johansson has a weak basis both theoretically and methodologically. In addition the Nordic radiation protection authorities have in a consensus communication noted that scientific evidence for dangers from mobile phones is lacking.

Olle Johansson uses vague, deceptive and suggestive language. This includes unclear use of concepts - one of his more confusing types of phrasings is the one which demands "proof of lack of danger". Such proof never is possible.

VoF has noted that Olle Johansson often speaks outside his area of expertise. Electromagnetic fields are clearly outside his field of competence. As an example, when Johansson talks about microwaves, he indicates that they are comparable with X-rays and gamma radiation, in spite of the fact that these different sorts of electromagnetic waves relate to entirely different physical phenomena. The important variables relating to electromagnetic fields are frequency and intensity. Unless these are given, deliberations about dangers are meaningless.

In addition, Olle Johansson's discussions of DNA strand breaks manifest grave lack of basic knowledge. As an example, Johansson recently (Stockholms Fria Tidning, December 24, 2004, in Swedish) gave an underestimate of the natural occurrence of such DNA breaks by a factor of 100 000. If one wants to be taken seriously a minimum requirement is to be correct at least with regard to orders of magnitude.

Finally, it has been noted that Olle Johansson insinuates that a large number of diseases such as cancer, blood pressure problems, asthma, allergies and sleep disorders, may be caused by electromagnetic fields. He has also come to the conclusion that malignant melanomas may be caused by TV- and FM-transmissions. A few years ago Johansson received particular attention after he claimed that brain damage, and specifically mad cow disease could be caused by the use of mobile phones (Aftonbladet, March 12, 2001).

There is no monetary reward associated with the award "Misleader of the year".