Alliance for MRI Agrees with Postponement and Amendment of the EU Directive on Electromagnetic Fields to Protect MRI

The Alliance for MRI (Vienna, Austria) welcomes the European Commission's recent announcement that it will postpone and amend legislation that would pose a serious threat to the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patient well-being and scientific research.

The European Union (EU) Physical Agents Directive 2004/40/EC (EMF) is to be delayed by four years until April 30, 2012 to allow time for a substantive amendment to be adopted. The Alliance welcomes the Commission's statement that "the future amendment will aim to ensure that limits will not have an adverse effect on the practice of MRI” and the recommendation to Member States to put the transposition of the current Directive on hold.

The use of MRI has provided immeasurable benefits to patients. It is an essential tool in diagnosing and treating illness and in medical research. MRI scans produce detailed images of the inner structure and function of patients' bodies using magnetic fields and radio waves. It is central to important treatments and research program for many illnesses, in particular, cancer, heart disease, and neurologic problems.

If implemented, the Directive would prevent healthcare staff from assisting or caring for patients during imaging. It would mean that some patients who cannot be imaged without this care--if they are young, elderly, frail or confused--would either be denied imaging or have to undergo alternative procedures such as X-rays.

The Alliance for MRI, which represents a coalition of European Parliamentarians, patient groups, leading European scientists, and the medical community, has campaigned to bring attention to the potential plight of patients. In June 2007, the Alliance for MRI held a lunch at the European Parliament with Commissioner Spidla to discuss research undertaken by Prof. Stuart Crozier of Brisbane University (Australia), which vindicated the Alliance's concerns.

In addition to its serious impact on healthcare, the Alliance believes the Directive would threaten Europe's position as world leader in MRI research, as recognized in the Nobel Prize awarded to Sir Peter Mansfield. MRI is a leading example of where the EU is in the forefront of cutting edge research, and thereby contributing to an innovative and competitive Europe.

The Alliance for MRI believes that it is essential to evaluate the real risk to patients, which would be brought about by impeding the full use of MRI, against the notional and unproven risk to workers. The Alliance for MRI believes that a derogation for MRI from the scope of the EU Physical Agents Directive 2004/40/EC (EMF) is necessary to ensure the future unimpeded use of MRI, particularly for cutting-edge research and interventional MRI. It is essential that this major advance in healthcare technology is not threatened by burdensome legislation when concerns can be addressed through responsible guidance to medical and service personnel.


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