THE University of Otago appears to be losing its way as the conscience of society with respect to preventing IQ loss in children from water fluoridation.

Although academics were criticised, by Emeritus Prof Paul Connett, for not attending the recent public lecture on fluoridation and children’s IQ and engaging in debate (ODT, 6.9.18), university staff do not have to rely on public lectures by visiting experts to learn about cutting edge research. The lecture emphasised the 2017 paper by Morteza Bashash and others published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, available online to university staff members.

Similarly, knowledge can be considered to advance best by cool, reasoned, logical arguments, based on evidence, rather than by heated rhetoric and the cut and thrust of debate.

Knowledge in science is never settled, and the substantial evidence presented by Prof Bashash in 2017 cannot be selectively countered, as Prof Paul Brunton attempted (ODT, 6.9.18), by referring to reports from recent decades which did not consider the Bashash work. The public deserve a reasoned answer to the specific concerns raised by Prof Bashash, and elaborated on in Fluoride 2017;50(4):385392, which indicate that fluoridated water is unsafe for pregnant women.

Bruce Spittle

Ocean View

*Original letter online at https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/otago-daily-times/20180908/282900911477070

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