# RF-016 — Different genotoxic responses across human cell types

Why this matters
This paper carries an editorial Expression of Concern. Its reported cell-DNA findings therefore cannot serve as a firm foundation for a health claim here. The record keeps the result and warning together so readers can inspect the publication history; the notice's full explanation was not obtained.

Id: RF-016

Author: Schwarz et al.

Full Authors: Claudia Schwarz; Elisabeth Kratochvil; Alexander Pilger; Niels Kuster; Franz Adlkofer; Hugo W. Rüdiger

Year: 2008

Title: Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (UMTS, 1,950 MHz) induce genotoxic effects in vitro in human fibroblasts but not in lymphocytes

Journal: international archives of occupational and environmental health

Citation: Schwarz C, Kratochvil E, Pilger A, Kuster N, Adlkofer F, Rüdiger HW. Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (UMTS, 1,950 MHz) induce genotoxic effects in vitro in human fibroblasts but not in lymphocytes. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 2008;81(6):755-767. doi:10.1007/s00420-008-0305-5.

Doi: 10.1007/s00420-008-0305-5

Pmid: 18278508

Topic: DNA and cell responses

Verification Group: Editorial notice flagged

Record Role: Notice flagged retrieval lead

Featured: False

Exposure: 1950 MHz UMTS; detailed low-SAR values in discovery dossier not yet rechecked.

Design: In-vitro human cells.

Finding: Publisher abstract reports comet/micronucleus increases in human fibroblasts, but no lymphocyte effect. Quantitative dose claims are not used in the report pending a full methods and editorial-history audit.

Boundary: Publisher explicitly links an Expression of concern. Do not use as central evidence of genotoxicity, human injury or below-limit effects; no allegation about individual conduct is inferred.

Protection Question: The unresolved editorial concern limits the confidence this cell-DNA result can carry. Its publication history remains available for scrutiny, but it cannot underpin the central health-protection argument.

Access: Original publisher abstract and linked editorial-notice metadata checked; full original and notice body not obtained

Locator: Publisher article page linked Editorial and abstract; notice page title, date and original-article link

Notice: Drexler H, Schaller KH. Expression of concern. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2009;82:143-144; published online 11 Oct 2008. DOI 10.1007/s00420-008-0360-y. Publisher links notice to this paper; Scite did not surface it.

Funding: Publisher acknowledgements: Austrian Workers Compensation Board, Verum Foundation and Austrian Science Fund FWF P18984-B09.

Conflicts: Not established from retrieved material.

Source Url: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0305-5

Retrieval Links: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0305-5 | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00420-008-0305-5 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0360-y | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18278508/

Verification Date: 2026-10-20