FAN Bulletin 988
 
July 16, 2008

Dear Supporter,

In the last bulletin I discussed the CDC’s recent MMWR report on fluoridation promotion and expansion. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), July 11, 2008,  57(27);737-741) on which a recent press release was based (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5727a1.htm). As far as fluoridation is concerned these MMWR reports read less like scientific articles than instruction manuals for those who blindly serve CDC policy. This particularly applies to the state dental directors. Fortunately, the CDC, in its acknowledgements for services rendered within this report, identified these high level individuals for us. Please check out your state’s fluoridation representative from the list printed out below. There seem to be 6 missing. Can anyone fill in the gaps?

I do not use the words “blindly serve” lightly. In my view, and having met some of them in person, and read several of their media statements, they do not appear to have minds of their own or have read the primary literature for themselves. They do not make independent judgments. In my view, they simply obey orders. That’s their job. If they challenge CDC policy it would be like sending in their resignation.

In other words, the CDC runs its operations like a military campaign. In certain situations such a chain of command would seem reasonable, for example if they were fighting the spread of smallpox. But in the case of fluoridation it would be a lot healthier for the nation if these high level employees had a mind of their own. After all they are allowing themselves to be part of a campaign which would force fluoride, a known highly toxic substance on every man, woman and child in the nation whether they want it or not; whether it works or not or whether it is safe or not.

In a rational world one would hope that highly paid civil servants would be exercising due diligence on each of these matters. Instead all they can tell us is that they “believe” that this practice is ethical, safe and effective. They have no solid science to back these claims up. Sadly, the taxpayers unwittingly fund this campaign, and they will continue to do so ? with no oversight ? until someone in Congress has the guts to call them to account.

Well, at least, we have their names. Our challenge is to try and introduce some accountability into the CDC’s “chain of command.”

If any one of these representatives resent the descriptions “blindly serve” or “obeying orders”, I will publicly withdraw those descriptions if they will sign and provide documentation to support one or more of the following three statements:

1) I am satisfied that when fluoride is causing dental fluorosis in children (which it is currently doing to 32% of American children) that it does not impact any other tissue in their bodies. This is based upon the following scientific studies… (note: we need primary studies here not assertions by “distinguished” bodies).

2) I have read the NRC (2006) report “Fluoride in Drinking Water” in full and I am satisfied that there is an adequate margin of safety to protect everyone in society from the adverse effects described in this report. This is based upon the following written analysis…

3) The evidence of ingesting fluoride for reducing dental decay is overwhelming and I strongly disagree with the assessment of Dr. David Locker, University of Toronto Department of Dentistry, who in a review of the studies on fluoridation’s effectiveness for the Ontario government, concluded that, “The magnitude of (fluoridation’s benefits) is not large in absolute terms, is often not statistically significant and may not be of clinical significance” (Locker 1999). I would point to the following large population studies which refute Locker’s assessment…

I urge our readers to send this bulletin to the CDC person listed in your state below and ask him or her for their response.

If you haven’t done so yet please sign the ONLINE message to Congress and get all your friends and colleagues to do likewise. To do so please go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2477/t/2782/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21960

Paul Connett

PS Please consider making a donation to our campaign to end fluoridation worldwide. It is easy to do simply go to our home page and use the donate button on the right hand side. Please indicate if you would like your tax-deductible donation used to help get people to the Toronto Triple event in August.

The CDC’s State Fluoridation representatives are:

B Laughlin, Alabama Dept of Environmental Management;
B Whistler, Alaska Dept of Health;
R Tuscano, Arizona Dept of Health Svcs;
L Mouden, Arkansas Dept of Health;
G Hoffmann, California Dept of Drinking Water and Environmental Management;
D Felzien, Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment;
P Painter, Connecticut Dept of Public Health;
GB McClure, Delaware Div of Public Health;
H Davis, Florida Dept of Health;
E Rutti-Cain, Georgia Rural Water Assn;
M Greer, Hawaii Dept of Health;
L Penny, Idaho Dept of Health and Welfare;
R Mutzbauer, Illinois Dept of Public Health;
D Cain, Indiana State Dept of Health;
R Russell, Iowa Dept of Public Health;
D Waldo, Kansas Dept of Health and Environment;
R Murphy, Kentucky Dept for Public Health;
A Laughlin, Louisiana Office of Public Health;
N Reilman, Maryland Dept of the Environment;
J Feinstein, Maine Dept of Human Svcs;
M Foley, Massachusetts Dept of Public Health;
K Philip, Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality;
D Rindal, Minnesota Dept of Health;
C Seed, Montana Dental Health Program;
K McFarland, Nebraska Dept of Health and Human Svcs;
L Cofano, Nevada State Health Div;
S Kilbreath, New Jersey Dept of Health;
N Martin, New Hampshire Dept of Health and Human Svcs;
R Romero, New Mexico Dept of Health;
J Reuther, New York State Dept of Health;
G Stewart, North Dakota Dept of Health;
C Wolf, Ohio Dept of Health;
M Morgan, Oklahoma State Dept of Health;
D Leland, Oregon Dept of Human Svcs;
K Chenosky, Pennsylvania Dept of Health;
J Swallow, Rhode Island Dept of Health;
D Boston, South Carolina Dept of Health and Environmental Control;
J Ellingson, South Dakota Dept of Health;
W Wells, Tennessee Dept of Environment and Conservation;
T Napier, Texas Dept of Health; S Steed, Utah Dept of Health;
S Arthur, Vermont Dept of Health Dental Svcs;
L Syrop, Virginia Dept of Health;
R Pedlar, Washington Dept of Health; K Cobb, West Virginia Bur for Public Health;
W LeMay, Wisconsin Div of Public Health.

Missing six?