FAN Bulletin 1056
  
March 22, 2009

Fluoridation is a practice in which a relatively small number of people, with limited scientific qualifications, are intent on fluoridating drinking water supplies worldwide with very little to no understanding of fluoride’s toxicology.

Global Consultation on Oral Health through Fluoride. The worldwide ambitions of this dental lobby was revealed in November 2006 when the WHO (supported with a lot of cash from the US as well as the sugar lobby), IADR (for whom the fluoridation practice represents the gravy train for dental research) and the FDI (funded by the toothpaste, sugar, pharmaceutical and chemical industries) organized the “Global Consultation on Oral Health through Fluoride” in Geneva and Ferney Voltaire, 17-19 November 2006. These bodies (WHO, IADR and FDI) issued a declaration containing this chilling and preposterous phrase: “universal access to fluoride for dental health is a part of the basic human right to health.” See the full statement at http://www.who.int/oral_health/events/oral%20healthc.pdf  and a longer excerpt below.

Since this declaration was made we have seen a stepped-up push to fluoridate countries in Asia and the Middle East, with a very public push in China. Hopefully, China and India, with huge a endemic fluorosis problem, will not be easily fooled.

Now we see a visible push to fluoridate Europe. Hitherto, most of the European countries have resisted American efforts to fluoridate their water, only England, Ireland and Spain took the bait. But there are many dentists in Euroepan countries who still support the party line, and can be counted on to use their “prestige and authority” to support the measure.

Evidence for the push comes in an invitation from the European Commission. This body is soliciting comments on on their “Working Mandate on fluoridation” and submissions on papers, reports, etc.,  published after 2004 on fluoride.  See their website at http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/scher_call_info_04_en.htm

Now, an innocent reader of this statement might believe that the European commission is really concerned about the Irish being fed this poison, or concerned about the fact that the UK government is set to double or triple the number of people fluoridated there, however, there is a phrase in this European Commission invitation, which gives the whole game away. They say “no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride.”

“No one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride!”

What that phrase announces loudly and clearly is that the dental lobby still has the inside track on this issue in Europe.

They also know that the dental lobby is standing by to provide consultants (like Bazian Ltd. who did the job in Southampton) to demolish the studies done in non-fluoridated countries where many adverse health effects have been observed with exposure to high natural levels of fluoride. We have seen how highly paid consultants can make black into white and fluoride safe enough to sprinkle on your cornflakes! That is if they can get away with the ridiculous notions that the 507-page report by the National Research Council (NRC, 2006) has no relevance to water fluoridation and the equally preposterous notion that the studies from four continents showing a possible association between fluoride exposure and lowered IQ in children, have no relevance for children drinking fluoridated water. Consultants like Bazian Ltd. appear willing to parade themselves as experts when they clearly don’t know the difference between concentration (mg/liter) and dose (mg/day) or the difference between dose (mg/day) and dosage (mg/kg bodyweight/day) and also willing to duck the critical discussion on “margin of safety” or the other critical steps required when trying to determine the safe dose of toxic substance when a whole population is to be exposed.  (See links to Bazian’s reports on the 2006 NRC report and the IQ studies at http://fluoridealert.org/southampton.sha.htm)

We have to get honest and independent European scientists and doctors quickly up to speed on this issue. In this we will need the help of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE).

Meanwhile those of us forced to live with this foolish practice have two tasks.

Comment on the “Working Mandate” by April 8, (see the mechanics below) and make it clear that the statement “no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride” is absolutely incorrect. Please tell them that you for one certainly do doubt that swallowing fluoride does any good. If it works at all, it works topically, and with fluoridated toothpaste universally available it makes nonsense of the notion of putting fluoride into everyone’s drinking water ? even if one can swallow the poor ethics of depriving individuals of their right to informed consent on the matter. The evidence that fluoridation reduces tooth decay is very very weak indeed (We will be summarizing the evidence in tomorrow’s bulletin).

Please inform them that WHO data for 12 year olds show no difference in declines in tooth decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries (see graph at http://fluoridealert.org/who-dmft.htm). You might add that the fact that they can make the erroneous claim that “no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride” suggests that dentists and the dental lobby have already exercised undue influence on their deliberations to date.

If you are pushed for time please state your involvement with the issue and your qualifications and add this message:

“I ask that those individuals who have been involved in writing past EU decisions involving fluoride, and are known to be pro-fluoridationists, be removed from all considerations on the “Working Mandate.”  Clearly, the erroneous claim that “no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride” suggests that dentists and the dental lobby retain their inside track on this issue. We ask that dentists be removed from this process, a) because they are extremely biased in favor of fluoridation and b) they do not have the qualifications to make judgments on fluoride’s ability to impact other parts of the body.  Instead, on behalf of the public, we request that a balanced panel of toxicologists, neurologists, physiologists, and biologists review the new information and the Working Mandate.”

2. As far as the request for relevant fluoride studies which have been published after 2004, FAN will be doing everything we can to get all the necessary studies but we need individuals ? especially the professionals who have signed the Professionals’ Statement to send in their well crafted explanations as to why key studies should not be ignored. This has to be done by April 26 (mechanics below) but for now we need to clean up this committee of the pro-fluoridation “experts” and dentists who seem to be running things, otherwise this whole exercise is a foregone conclusion: it will be another “official rubber stamp” to push for more fluoridation

COMMENTS ON THE ‘WORKING MANDATE” ON FLUORIDATION OF DRINKING WATER - Due APRIL 8.  

Available at http://fluoridealert.org/eu.f.working.mandate.09.pdf

This is what they’ve said:

While no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride, a body of scientific literature seems to suggest that excessive intake of fluoride may be associated with a number of negative health effects. Consequently, the practice of intentional water fluoridation has been put in question in some parts of the European Union and USA.

The Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General will welcome comments on the working mandate submitted with a view to ensure a high added value for the completeness and clarity of the questions. The working mandate for this request can be found here (pdf).

Comments should be in line with the conditions set out in the Stakeholder Dialogue Procedure document at http://fluoridealert.org/stakeholder_procedure_en-1.pdf

SOLICITATION FOR INFORMATION. DUE APRIL 26, 2009:

Interested parties are invited to submit:

1) Scientific peer reviewed research papers, reviews and reports (later than 2004) on hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and hydrofluorosilicic acid used in drinking water fluoridation.

2) Scientific peer reviewed research papers, reviews and reports on hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to silicofluorides e.g. ((hydro)fluorosilicic acid, sodium silicofluoride, disodium hexafluorosilicate or hexafluorosilicic acid) used in drinking water fluoridation.

3) Other credible scientific information that may not be easily available and which is directly relevant to this issue.

All information is considered public unless otherwise stated by the provider. Guidelines for the submission of contributions, containing criteria for the call for information and guidance for submission can be found here and in the Stakeholder Dialogue Procedure document (pdf).

HOW TO SUBMIT:

EMAIL SUBMISSION TO : Sanco-Sc8-Secretariat@ec.europa.eu
SUBJECT LINE: SCHER: Fluoridation - Call for Information

Please put the full body of your contribution as an attachment to the electronic message.

Please include your details, organization and e-mail address in the text of the message.

FAN’S COMPILATION OF PAST FLUORIDE REPORTS FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

See http://fluoridealert.org/eu.docs.html

Paul Connett

CALL TO ACTION TO PROMOTE DENTAL HEALTH BY USING FLUORIDE
(Issued at the 17-19 November 2006, Global Consultation on Oral Health conference in Geneva &  Ferney-Voltaire)

 Eighty experts from thirty countries gathered for a Global Consultation on Oral Health  through Fluoride, jointly convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), the FDI World  Dental Federation and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) on  17-19 November 2006 in Geneva and Ferney Voltaire, expressed their deep concern about  growing disparities in dental health and the lack of progress in tackling the worldwide burden  of tooth decay (dental caries), particularly in disadvantaged populations.  

The burden of tooth decay affects children, adults and the elderly, disrupts life and causes  considerable pain, suffering and economic hardship. Much of the disease still remains  untreated, particularly in low and middle-income populations. Prevention by using fluoride is  the only realistic way of reducing this burden in populations.   Taking account of the scientific evidence, as well as several WHO World Health Assembly  Resolutions 1  and other technical reports2, the experts reaffirmed the efficiency, costeffectiveness, and safety of the daily use of optimal fluoride. They confirmed that universal  access to fluoride for dental health is a part of the basic human right to health.

Recognising the magnitude of the problem, and in order to achieve this the experts convened  by the WHO, FDI and IADR urge governments and other influential bodies to take the  following actions:  

 ?  Develop effective legislation, necessary directives 3 and programmes ensuring access  to fluoride for dental health in all countries;  
 ?  Include fluoride in health communications, health promotion strategies and  programmes;  
 ?  Include fluoride for dental health when promoting health through healthy diets;  
 ?  Encourage governments to reduce or remove taxation and tariffs on fluoride products  for dental health; and  
 ?  Encourage suppliers to improve availability of effective affordable fluoride toothpaste  for disadvantaged populations.  

  These actions will improve quality of life and enhance the achievement of the Millennium  Development Goals by reducing the high dental disease burden of populations, especially  children in disadvantaged populations.