SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday mentioned he plans to inform the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention quickly to cease recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy additionally mentioned he’s assembling a job drive to deal with the problem.
Additionally on Monday, the U.S. Environmental Safety Company introduced it’s reviewing “new scientific info” on potential well being dangers of fluoride in consuming water.
Kennedy instructed The Related Press of his plans after a information convention in Salt Lake Metropolis.
Utah final month turned the primary state to ban fluoride in public consuming water, pushing previous opposition from dentists and nationwide well being organizations who warned the transfer would result in medical issues that disproportionately have an effect on low-income communities.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed laws barring cities and communities from deciding whether or not so as to add the cavity-preventing mineral to their water techniques. Water techniques throughout the state should shut down their fluoridation techniques by Might 7.
Kennedy praised Utah for rising as “the chief in making America wholesome once more.” He was flanked by Utah legislative leaders and the sponsor of the state’s fluoride legislation. “I’m very, very happy with this state for being the primary state to ban it, and I hope many extra will,” he mentioned.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who appeared with Kennedy on the information convention, mentioned his company was launching a renewed examination of scientific research on the potential well being dangers of fluoride in consuming water to assist inform any modifications to the nationwide requirements.
“When this analysis is accomplished, we could have an up to date foundational scientific analysis that can inform the company’s future steps,” Zeldin mentioned. “Secretary Kennedy has lengthy been on the forefront of this challenge. His advocacy was instrumental in our choice to overview fluoride publicity dangers and we’re dedicated to working alongside him, using sound science as we advance our mission of defending human well being and the surroundings.”
Fluoride strengthens tooth and reduces cavities by changing minerals misplaced throughout regular put on and tear, in response to the CDC. In 1950, federal officers endorsed water fluoridation to forestall tooth decay, and in 1962 set pointers for a way a lot needs to be added to water.
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has known as fluoride a “harmful neurotoxin” and mentioned additionally it’s been related to arthritis, bone breaks, and thyroid illness. Some research have instructed such hyperlinks would possibly exist, normally at higher-than-recommended fluoride ranges, although some reviewers have questioned the standard of accessible proof and mentioned no definitive conclusions could be drawn.
Fluoride can come from quite a few sources, however consuming water is the principle one for People, researchers say. Almost two-thirds of the U.S. inhabitants will get fluoridated consuming water, in response to CDC knowledge. The addition of low ranges of fluoride to consuming water was lengthy thought of one of many best public well being achievements of the final century.
About one-third of group water techniques — 17,000 out of 51,000 throughout the U.S. — serving greater than 60% of the inhabitants fluoridated their water, in response to a 2022 CDC evaluation. The company at present recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water.
However over time, research have documented potential issues. An excessive amount of fluoride has been related to streaking or spots on tooth. Research even have traced a hyperlink between extra fluoride and mind growth.
A report final 12 months by the federal authorities’s Nationwide Toxicology Program, which summarized research performed in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico, concluded that consuming water with greater than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter — greater than twice the really helpful degree within the U.S. — was related to decrease IQs in children.
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Stobbe reported from New York.
