The Public Health Association (PHA) has welcomed the Government’s decision to empower district health boards (DHBs) with responsibility for decisions about community water fluoridation, but warns the battle for fluoridation is far from over. “Local councils have been under considerable pressure from vocal minority groups opposed to fluoridation, and that pressure will now fall on […]
News Archive
Welcome to the Fluoride Action Network News Archive. The FAN News Archive serves as an historical repository for fluoride news stories, positive or negative. Since FAN catalogs all news stories on fluoride, our news section remains a reliable database of all published fluoride news.
Our news database is categorized by country, state/province, and industry. This collection of articles is constantly being updated with the most recent global news on fluoride-related issues and events.
Hawke’s Bay: Fluoridation possible: DHB
All of Hawke’s Bay’s water supplies could be fluoridated in the future if DHBs are granted the power to make the decision. Yesterday Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne announced proposed changes where DHBs rather than local authorities will decide which community water supplies are fluoridated. Hawke’s Bay DHB clinical director […]
The government is shifting responsibility for adding fluoride to water from local authorities to district health boards.
Local Government NZ, which represents councils, has welcomed the move and says fluoridation is an important health decision best made by experts. Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says New Zealand has high rates of preventable tooth decay and fluoridated water will improve oral health and mean fewer costly trips to the dentist. “The change could benefit […]
Napier’s ‘unadulterated’ water supply to be fluoridated?
Napier’s “unadulterated” water supply could be fluoridated in the not-too-distant future, in a change likely to cause fierce debate. Though Hastings, just 20 minutes away, was the first city in the county to have fluoride added to its water supply in 1954, Napier never followed suit. But that could change. Today, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman […]
DHBs could make call on fluoridating water
The government is proposing to shift responsibility for fluoridating water supplies from councils to district health boards (DHBs). In statement released today health minister Jonathan Coleman announced plans to introduce legislation later this year, moving the decision making process from councils to DHBs. DHBs currently provide expert advice on fluoridation to local authorities. It follows […]
Auckland: No consultation needed for stopping or starting fluoridation
Chair of Auckland Council’s Policy and Strategy committee decided unilaterally yesterday that a petition from Fluoride Free New Zealand could be received but not debated on. This left councillors no option other than to vote to accept the petition or not. The petition to Council was over the illegal fluoridation of some Franklin communities. In […]
SCDHB supports benefits of fluoride in water supply
“Pseudo science” and “misguided individuals” should not dictate policy on fluoridated water supplies in South Canterbury, a Timaru oral surgeon says. The majority of the South Canterbury District Health Board members agreed to actively promote the contentious benefits of fluoride in community water supplies. Although three board members disagreed with the position statement, at a […]
Dentists want free fluoride testing
A group of dentists want the associate minister of health to make fluoride testing free because of concerns many people are over-dosing on the additive. Dentist group FIND raised their concerns with Peter Dunne in a meeting in Wellington late yesterday. The FIND dentists are concerned that the total quantity of fluoride that people swallow […]
Tea Drinkers at Greater Risk from Fluoride Harm
Many, if not most, tea drinkers are consuming a dose of fluoride likely to negatively affect their health, according to a study published last week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Fluoride is also added to half of New Zealand’s water supplies, and it is present in high levels in some […]
Masterton: Non-fluoridation set to be unpopular
Masterton residents are set to get access to non-fluoridated water, though it’s not expected to be hugely popular. District councillors are today expected to sign off on an almost $6000 plan to have a public tap. It’s expected less than 500 litres of non-fluoridated water will be used per day, and mayor Lyn Patterson said […]