The Department of Health’s Forum on Fluoridation recently invited Dr. Don Mac Auley (Dental Surgeon) to present his views on the issue at a meeting on Thursday 8th February. Dr. Mac Auley, Chairman of Fluoride Free Water, declined the invitation for the following reasons:
1. The Forum is a government selected, non-independent review of water fluoridation. In my opinion it has a pronounced pro-fluoride bias and therefore is not a serious, independent or fair assessment of water fluoridation in Ireland.
2. The Forum permits the Minister of Health to ignore his responsibilities under the legislation. The legislation, Health Act (fluoridation of water supplies) 1960, Section 6, states clearly that it is the Minister’s duty to study the health effects of water fluoridation in fluoridated communities. In nearly forty years of fluoridation in Ireland, there is not one health study and none planned.
3. If the Forum is looking at this issue seriously, then why are the Health Boards planning fluoridation extensions? Under the Freedom of Information Act 1997, I have documentary evidence that nearly all health boards in Ireland have plans to extend fluoridation despite the Forum. This would suggest that the Forum has concluded.
4. The York Review, the U.K. government’s review of water fluoridation, claimed by proponents of fluoridation in Ireland as the most systematic and conclusive report, is now again under the spotlight. The Chairman recently rebuked the British Dental Association for misleading the public and misrepresenting the conclusions of the report. Professor Sheldon stated, “Until high quality studies are undertaken providing more definite evidence, there will continue to be legitimate scientific controversy over the likely effects and costs of water fluoridation” (see Sheldon’s letter at www.fluoridealert.org/sheldon.htm).
FFW agree with Dr. Mac Auley’s conclusions stated in the Irish Medical Journal editorial, Sept. 2000, that “water fluoridation is unsafe, ineffective and undemocratic”.
Finally, we call upon the minister to fulfil his duty under the legislation and carry out health studies. In addition we call for an immediate stop to fluoridation in Ireland and an independent public enquiry.
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