Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Peter Jennings) Report introduced.

(WA: Bettina Gregory) Issue of getting cancer from exposure to magnetic fields around electric power lines featured; details given, scenes shown. Case of Billy Read's leukemia discussed. [Mother Elaine READ - wonders if power lines around her house may have caused his cancer.] Results of New York study of magnetic fields and childhood cancer discussed on screen. [SUNY School of Public Health Dr. David CARPENTER - states important of study.] Result of Denver, Colorado, study of magnetic fields and childhood cancer reported [Univ. North Carolina Dr. David SAVITZ - describes study.] Research on effects of magnetic fields noted. [Dr. Jerry PHILLIPS - says magnetic fields make leukemia cells grow faster.] Electric power industry's response noted. [Electric Power Research Institution spokesperson Dr. Leonard SAGAN - says industry is doing research.] Experiments financial by federal government on magnetic fields described. [SAGAN - says no reason for public to panic.] [CARPENTER - says action must be taken.] Lawsuit in Houston, Texas, concerning high voltage lines built on school property detailed; scenes shown.