Ricerc@Sapienza

Since the original ICNIRP Statement was published in 2000, there have been significant improvements in the efficiency and radiance (i.e., optical radiation emission) of LEDs. The most important improvement is the development of 'white' LEDs that can be used as general lighting sources, which are more efficient than traditional lighting sources. LEDs emitting in the ultraviolet wavelength region have also become available and have made their way into consumer products. All these changes have led to a rise in concern for the safety of the optical radiation emissions from LEDs.

In this statement, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) presents its principles for protection against adverse health effects from exposure to non-ionizing radiation. These are based upon the principles for protection against ionizing radiation of the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) in order to come to a comprehensive and consistent system of protection throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The statement further contains information about ICNIRP and the processes it uses in setting exposure guidelines.

Use of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) for diagnostic purposes allows non-invasive assessment of the structure and function of the human body and is widely employed in medical care. ICNIRP has published previous statements about the protection of patients during medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but diagnostic methods using other forms of NIR have not been considered.