John Swanson
National Grid plc
48 Papers
284 Citations
John Swanson is an academic researcher from National Grid plc. The author has contributed to research in topics: Environmental exposure & Childhood leukemia. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 48 publications.
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Papers
Pooled analysis of recent studies on magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia
Leeka Kheifets,Anders Ahlbom,Catherine M. Crespi,Gerald Draper,J. Hagihara,R. M. Lowenthal,Gabor Mezei,Sona Oksuzyan,Joachim Schüz,John Swanson,A. Tittarelli,Marco Vinceti,V. Wünsch Filho +12 more
TL;DR: It is concluded that recent studies on magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia do not alter the previous assessment that magnetic fields are possibly carcinogenic, and the association is weaker in the most recently conducted studies, but these studies are small and lack methodological improvements needed to resolve the apparent association.
Childhood cancer and magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case–control study
TL;DR: A national case–control study relating childhood cancer risk to the average magnetic field from high-voltage overhead power lines at the child's home address at birth during the year of birth, estimated using National Grid records; the estimate for childhood leukaemia resembles results of comparable studies.
Residential distance at birth from overhead high-voltage powerlines: childhood cancer risk in Britain 1962-2008.
TL;DR: A risk declining over time is unlikely to arise from any physical effect of the powerlines and is more likely to be the result of changing population characteristics among those living near powerlines.
Biophysical mechanisms: a component in the weight of evidence for health effects of power-frequency electric and magnetic fields.
John Swanson,Leeka Kheifets +1 more
TL;DR: It is concluded that effects below 5 μT are implausible, and the absence of a plausible biophysical mechanism at lower fields cannot be taken as proof that health effects of environmental electric and magnetic fields are impossible.
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Proximity to overhead power lines and childhood leukaemia: an international pooled analysis
Aryana T. Amoon,Catherine M. Crespi,Anders Ahlbom,Megha Bhatnagar,Isabelle Bray,Kathryn J. Bunch,Jacqueline Clavel,Maria Feychting,Denis Hémon,Christoffer Johansen,Christian Kreis,Carlotta Malagoli,Fabienne Marquant,Camilla Pedersen,Ole Raaschou-Nielsen,Martin Röösli,Martin Röösli,Ben D. Spycher,Madhuri Sudan,Madhuri Sudan,Madhuri Sudan,John Swanson,Andrea Tittarelli,DM Tuck,DM Tuck,Tore Tynes,Ximena Vergara,Ximena Vergara,Marco Vinceti,Marco Vinceti,Victor Wünsch-Filho,Leeka Kheifets +31 more
Abstract: Although studies have consistently found an association between childhood leukaemia risk and magnetic fields, the associations between childhood leukaemia and distance to overhead power lines have been inconsistent. We pooled data from multiple studies to assess the association with distance and evaluate whether it is due to magnetic fields or other factors associated with distance from lines. We present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (29,049 cases and 68,231 controls) from 11 record-based studies. There was no material association between childhood leukaemia and distance to nearest overhead power line of any voltage. Among children living < 50 m from 200 + kV power lines, the adjusted odds ratio for childhood leukaemia was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.92–1.93). The odds ratio was higher among children diagnosed before age 5 years. There was no association with calculated magnetic fields. Odds ratios remained unchanged with adjustment for potential confounders. In this first comprehensive pooled analysis of childhood leukaemia and distance to power lines, we found a small and imprecise risk for residences < 50 m of 200 + kV lines that was not explained by high magnetic fields. Reasons for the increased risk, found in this and many other studies, remains to be elucidated.