Dear All,

Below I have reprinted Michael Connett’s summation of the research recommendations contained in the NRC review. These recommendations contrast dramatically with the UK Medical Research Council’s 2002 list of recommendations. This latter agency recommended a greater priority on more research on dental fluorosis than on the brain, the endocrine system, the reproductive system or the kidney! This is - or should have been - acutely embarrassing for any agency that purports to hold a responsible attitude towards public health matters.

Meanwhile, I would ask these four questions based upon the NRC panel’s research recommendations:

I would hazard a guess that anyone who has had a moderate (maybe one month’s) training in toxicology or epidemiology would be appalled to learn that the US PHS has failed to collect fluoride levels in the urine, blood and bones of the American people. Most experts in the field, would consider this kind of data collection a fundamental requisite for any research into a practice which now impacts about 160 million Americans.

So not only has fluoridation been a totally unethical experiment, but it has been a lousy experiment as well, because those in charge didn’t even collect the right data!

Three things worry me about getting too excited by these new research proposals, as much as a scientist I would like more definitive answers to some of the questions being raised:

It is for these reasons that, in my view, a greater priority than more research is more Congressional oversight of the agencies which have misled the American people for generations on these matters.

More than ever in our history this NRC report gives us a chance to begin the long battle to restore scientific integrity into the agencies we pay to protect our health.

Here, then - better late than never - is the list of NRC’s recommendations.

Paul Connett

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FAN Science Watch
March 28, 2006

Issue #29: NRC’s Research Recommendations

by Michael Connett

Last week, the National Research Council (NRC) released its long-awaited review of EPA’s safe water standard for fluoride (4 ppm). See: http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/epa/nrc/index.html

In the previous bulletin, we detailed NRC’s concerns with fluoride’s potential to damage a wide range of systems in the body, including -  but not limited to - teeth and bones.

In this bulletin, we’ve compiled some of the many research recommendations made by NRC to address their concerns about fluoride toxicity (see below).

If you don’t yet have a copy of NRC’s report, but are interested in obtaining one, please email me at: michael@fluoridealert.org .
 
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Excerpts from: “Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards” (National Research Council, 2006)

NRC’s RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS:

“Fluoride should be included in nationwide biomonitoring surveys and nutritional studies; in particular, analysis of fluoride in  blood and urine samples taken in these surveys would be valuable.” p9

“To assist in estimating individual fluoride exposure from ingestion, manufacturers and  producers should provide information on the fluoride content of commercial foods and beverages.” p71

“The concentrations of fluoride in human bone as a function of exposure  concentration, exposure duration, age, sex, and health status should be studied.” p9

“Information is  particularly needed on fluoride plasma and bone concentrations in people with small-to-moderate  changes in renal function as well as in those with serious renal deficiency.” p9

“More research is needed on the relation between fluoride exposure and dentin fluorosis and delayed tooth eruption patterns.” p9

“A systematic study of clinical stage II and stage III skeletal fluorosis should be conducted to clarify the relationship between fluoride ingestion, fluoride concentration in bone,  and clinical symptoms. ” p10

“More studies of communities with drinking water containing fluoride at 2 mg/L or  more are needed to assess potential bone fracture risk at these higher concentrations.” p10

“Carefully conducted studies of exposure to fluoride and emerging health parameters of interest (e.g., endocrine effects and brain function) should be performed in  populations in the United States exposed to various concentrations of fluoride.” p10

“Better characterization of exposure to fluoride is needed in epidemiology studies  investigating potential effects.  Important exposure aspects of such studies would include the  following:  collecting data on general dietary status and dietary factors that could influence exposure or effects, such as calcium, iodine, and aluminum intakes.”  p72

“To permit better characterization of current exposures from airborne fluorides, ambient concentrations of airborne hydrogen fluoride and particulates should be reported on national aregional scales, especially for areas of known air pollution or known sources of airborne fluorides.  Additional information on fluoride concentrations in soils in residential and  recreational areas near industrial fluoride sources also should be obtained” p71-72

“The possibility of biological effects of SiF6 , as opposed to free fluoride ion, should be examined.” p72

“The biological effects of aluminofluoride complexes should be researched further,  including the conditions (exposure conditions and physiological conditions) under which the  complexes can be expected to occur and to have biological effects.” p72  

“Thus, more studies are needed on fluoride concentrations in soft  tissues (e.g., brain, thyroid, kidney) following chronic exposure.” p83

“Research is needed on fluoride plasma and bone concentrations in people with small to  moderate changes in renal function as well as patients with serious renal deficiency.  Other  potentially sensitive populations should be evaluated, including the elderly, postmenopausal  women, and people with altered acid-base balance.” p83

“More work is needed on the potential for release of fluoride by the metabolism of organofluorines.” p83

“More research is needed on bone concentrations of fluoride in people with altered renal  function, as well as other potentially sensitive populations (e.g., the elderly, post-menopausal  women, people with altered acid-balance), to better understand the risks of musculoskeletal  effects in these populations.” p147

“the relationship between fertility and fluoride requires additional study.” p161

“Two small studies  have raised the possibility of an increased incidence of spina bifida occulta in fluorosis-prone  areas in India; larger, well-controlled studies are needed to evaluate  that possibility further.” p164

“More research is  needed to clarify fluoride’s biochemical effects on the brain.” p186  

“The possibility has been raised by the studies conducted in China that fluoride can affect intellectual abilities.  Thus, studies of populations exposed to different concentrations of  fluoride in drinking water should include measurements of reasoning ability, problem solving,  IQ, and short- and long-term memory.” p187

“Studies of populations exposed to different concentrations of fluoride should be undertaken to evaluate neurochemical changes that may be associated with dementia.   Consideration should be given to assessing effects from chronic exposure, effects that might be delayed or occur late-in-life, and individual susceptibility.” p187

“Further effort is necessary to characterize the direct and indirect mechanisms of fluoride’s action on the endocrine system and the factors that determine the response, if any, in a given individual. Such studies would address the following…

“The effects of fluoride on various aspects of endocrine function should be examined particularly with respect to a possible role in the development of several diseases or mental states in the United States.  Major areas for investigation include the following:

“Studies are needed to evaluate gastric responses to fluoride from natural sources at  concentrations up to 4 mg/L and from artificial sources.” p. 258

“Additional studies should be carried out to determine the incidence, prevalence, and  severity of renal osteodystrophy in patients with renal impairments in areas where there is  fluoride at up to 4 mg/L in the drinking water.” p. 258

“The effect of low doses of fluoride on kidney and liver enzyme functions in humans  needs to be carefully documented in communities exposed to different concentrations of fluoride  in drinking water.” p258

“In addition, studies could be conducted to determine what percentage of immunocompromised  subjects have adverse reactions when exposed to fluoride in the range of 1-4 mg/L in drinking  water.” p259

“It is paramount that careful biochemical studies be conducted to determine what  fluoride concentrations occur in the bone and surrounding interstitial fluids from exposure to  fluoride in drinking water at up to 4 mg/L, because bone marrow is the source of the progenitors  that produce the immune system cells.” p 259

“Further research on a possible effect of fluoride on bladder cancer risk should be conducted.” p288

“in vivo human genotoxicity studies in U.S.  populations or other populations with nutritional and sociodemographic variables similar to those  in the United States should be conducted.” p288

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For more information on the NRC report, see:
See: http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/epa/nrc/index.html