I watched the Dharma initiative information film again.
Some things are very odd about the whole thing. The oddest thing:
1) They don't tell the viewer what will happen if the code isn't entered.
Which makes me think that the whole bunker is in fact a giant Skinner box. An experiment in human behaviour. The "Others" might be the observers.
Maybe that whole electromagnetism-thing is made up and behind the wall there is just a big magnet and a generator to provide electricity. Maybe even that sickness is made up in one way or another.
What speaks against that theory:
2) An electromagnetic wave could have been the cause for the planecrash. Plus, whatever caused such a very strong electromagnetic field might be the reason for people getting sick.