Strålforskare kringgår avtalet om oberoende
Svensk forskning om mobilstrålning finansieras av industrin. För att säkra forskarnas oberoende har Vinnova gått in som mellanhand. Men Ny Teknik kan visa att denna ”brandvägg” brister. Kontakter mellan industrin och forskarna rapporteras inte som avtalet föreskriver.
Cosmosstudien följer mobilanvändare i fem länder, under 25 års tid.
(Uppdaterad version) Maria Feychting, professor i epidemiologi vid Karolinska institutet, KI, blev nyligen vice ordförande i kommissionen Icnirp, International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, som sätter gränsvärden för mobilstrålning och andra elektromagnetiska fält.
Samtidigt finansierar hon delvis sin forskning kring hälsorisker och mobiltelefoni via telekomindustrin, vilket hon öppet redovisar i sin jävsdeklaration till Icnirp. Telia Sonera, Ericsson och Telenor bidrar med 50 procent av kostnaden för den svenska delen av forskningsprojektet Cosmos (med över 50 000 mobilabonnenter), hittills cirka 7 miljoner kronor.
Maria Feychting ser ingen konflikt i att leda Icnirps verksamhet samtidigt som hon får industrimedel.
– Jag tycker inte att det är något problem eftersom medlen förmedlas via tredje part som agerar brandvägg mellan oss forskare och industrin, vilket garanterar oss oberoende, säger hon.
Men Ny Tekniks granskning visar att industrin och forskarna först diskuterar sig samman kring finansieringen och sedan vänder sig till Vinnova och ber myndigheten agera mellanhand.
Vinnovas handläggare Pontus von Bahr uppger att parterna kom till förre generaldirektören Per Eriksson med upplägget.
I det sammanhanget upprättades ett så kallat brandväggsavtal 2007, som ska skydda forskarna från ”otillbörlig påverkan” från mobilintressenterna.
Enligt Christer Törnevik, forskningsområdeschef på Ericsson, började Ericsson och forskarna att träffas 2005.
– Innan avtalet skrevs med Vinnova ställde vi dock en del kvalitetsrelaterade frågor, och föreslog att vissa kvalitetskriterier skulle inkluderas i avtalet. Det är normalt att vi får möjlighet att ge vår input och synpunkter angående designen på studier, uppger han.
Ericsson har bland annat föreslagit en internationell referensgrupp och att antalet enkätpersoner skulle uppgå till minst 25 000, säger han.
Vinnovas insyn i vilka underhandskontakter som skett när brandväggsavtalet varit i kraft har varit mycket begränsad.
Trots en skrivning i avtalet om att det ska ”säkerställa att alla förbindelser” mellan företagen och forskarna ”är transparenta” begär inte Vinnova några särskilda redovisningar av möten. Forskarna har nämnt kontakter med industrin i lägesrapporter till Vinnova. Där finns dock inte uppgifter om mötesdatum, dagordning eller deltagare. I myndighetens förteckning över handlingar i ärendet finns inga noteringar om sådana möten.
Personer från Ericsson Research har vid några tillfällen träffat KI-forskarna sedan Cosmos-projektet påbörjades 2007. Dessa möten har gällt fortsatt finansiering och teknisk information, uppger Christer Törnevik
Enligt Maria Feychting har hon deltagit i möten med företagen 2006, 2009 och 2011, vilka bland annat gällt bolagens intresse för att bidra med medel.
Brandväggsavtalet gällde fram till 2009. Därefter tecknades ett fortsättningsavtal för 2010. Sedan har avtalet upphört.
Nu äskar forskarna återigen finansiering från industrin.
Projektledaren för Cosmos, Anders Ahlbom, professor i epidemiologi vid KI, skickade den 6 oktober 2011 ett mejl direkt till Ericsson: en elva sidor lång ansökan med projekt- och budgetplan för 2012 till 2014. Han skriver i mejlet att finansieringen kräver ett brandväggsavtal ”företrädesvis via Vinnova”.
Forskarnas förfrågan om finansiering ska, enligt Anders Ahlbom, senare skickas till Vinnova.
– Jag kan bara säga att det här är helt normalt. Vi har en diskussion först om själva studien, jag ser inget konstigt med det, säger Christer Törnevik.
Tommy Ljunggren, chef för systemutveckling inom mobiltelefoni på Telia Sonera, säger dock:
– Det är lite underligt, jag vet inte varför men vi har fått ansökan direkt till oss och inte via Vinnova, säger han.
Bolaget avvaktar med att ta ställning till dess man får en ansökan från Vinnova.
Anders Ahlbom:
– Det kan ju verka konspiratoriskt och konstigt att vi har underhandskontakter med industrin, men vi är helt oberoende. Min uppfattning är att telekomindustrin ska bidra med finansiering.
KI-forskarna Anders Ahlbom, ovan, och Maria Feychting, till höger, driver den svenska delen av mobilforskningsprojektet Cosmos. Anders Ahlboms integritet som forskare blev i fjol ifrågasatt av en arbetsgrupp i FN:s cancerforskningsorgan IARC. Maria Feychting är ensam i Icnirps kommission om att få forskningsmedel från telekomindustrin. Övriga Icnirp-ledamöter har inga eller få industrikopplingar.
(I en tidigare version av artikeln saknas uppgifter om att möten med industrin kortfattat hade nämnts i lägesrapporter till Vinnova.)
http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/it_telekom/mobiltele/article3483861.ece
From Mona Nilsson:
Swedish Magazine New Technique discloses hole in the
firewall Fecyhing/Ahlobom and Mobile phone industry
Prof Anders Ahlbom: "we are totally independent."
google translation (source below)
Swedish research on cell phone radiation is financed by industry. To ensure independent researchers Vinnova has gone in as an intermediary. But new technology could prove that this "firewall" deficiencies. Relations between industry and researchers reported not set out herein. 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 has not had any insight into the informal contacts that occurred when the firewall agreement is in force.
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.
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.
http://www.nyteknik.se/
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 has not had any insight into the informal contacts that occurred when the firewall agreement is in force.
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.
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.
http://www.nyteknik.se/
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