Joint Irish Houses of Parliament Draft report on Water Fluoridation

Fluoridation Should End Immediately Says Government Report Monday, 30 September 2013, 9:43 am Press Release: Fluoride Action Network

Fluoridation Should End Immediately Says Government Report

Wellington, 30 September 2013.

“The practice of water fluoridation should end immediately. All of the available evidence suggests that not only will this lead to a marked reduction in fluorosis but that there would not be a significant rise in dental caries.”

This is the central recommendation of the Joint Irish Houses of Parliament Draft report on Water Fluoridation in Ireland, prepared for the Department for Health and Children.

The Report also states strongly “[E]ven if the fluoride levels in the water were slightly reduced, we could not recommend that this water be used to bottle feed babies.”

The Report was written in 2007. It has been suppressed ever since by a powerful minority of fluoridation believers – until it was published on the internet this month.

The Report states “The Department of Health's assessment of the overwhelming benefits of water fluoridation is not justified… We believe on the basis of the international studies there would be no long-term increase in dental decay if fluoride were not added to Irish drinking water” and “We note that dental health has improved to the same degree in countries where there is no water fluoridation.”

This is exactly the evidence heard at the New Plymouth and Hamilton fluoridation Tribunal hearings, and negates the propaganda being spread by District Health Boards in Hamilton, Hastings, and Whakatane where referenda are being held.

The Report continues, disturbingly, “While positive aspects of fluoridation have been over-stated, the growing negative impact has not been properly recognised… The Committee is disappointed and alarmed that no general health studies … have ever been carried out, particularly considering that four in ten 15 year olds are now affected by fluorosis.”

Does this sound like it exposes the NZ Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s claim of 60 years of research showing fluoridation to be safe as a lie? It should. He refuses under the Official Information Act to name a single study showing safety.

“It is the view of the committee that the Department of Health has failed to offer a coherent scientific justification for continuing the policy of water fluoridation.” Again, this is what we saw at New Plymouth and Hamilton, says Mark Atkin, FANNZ’ Science Advisor.

Finally, the Report confirms “There is no evidence to suggest that Irish people are fluoride deficient, in fact, the evidence at hand suggests that we have too much fluoride in our systems.” So the spin by the NZ Ministry of Health that we are “just topping up natural fluoride levels” is seen to be just that – spin, not science.

This Report, and the fact that it was suppressed for almost six years by fluoridation believers, shows us that our Ministry of Health, and all those appearing in support of fluoridation since the Hamilton decision, are more interested in protecting fluoridation policy and their reputations than they are in protecting the public health.

If this report highlights one thing, it is that it is high time fluoridation were discussed in a transparent public scientific forum, in line with the recent recommendation of the NZ Medical Association. It also highlights that the outcome of such a forum will be the opposite of that which the NZMA expects.