Overview
To help promote greater scientific and medical understanding about fluoride’s impact on human health, particularly its effect on the brain, the Fluoride Action Network regularly accesses and translates studies published in non-English language journals. Prior to being translated, most of these studies had never been available to western audiences and were therefore rarely considered in regulatory and public health policies. FAN’s translations have thus introduced a significant amount of previously unknown research findings to the English-speaking world, and this has already had a significant impact on the public and scientific discourse.
Examples of FAN’s translations furthering scientific discourse on fluoride toxicity, include:
- In July 2012, a team of Harvard scientists published a meta-review on fluoride and human IQ which cited and included 11 of FAN’s translations. (Choi 2012)
- In 2011, an Iranian research team reported that they had replicated the findings of a study FAN translated and published in 2008 regarding the neurotoxic effects of occupational fluoride exposures. (Yazdi 2011)
Translations to Date
Since 2005, FAN has translated 81 studies published in non-English scientific journals, including:
- 24 studies on fluoride’s effect on human IQ, some of which provide data on thyroid function as well;
- 15 studies on fluoride’s impact on other indices of brain function, including its effects on the fetal development;
- 21 studies on fluoride’s impact on bones and joints, including research showing fluoride can directly cause clinical osteoarthritis;
- 8 studies on fluoride’s impact on the cardiovascular system;
- 4 studies on fluoride’s effect on the human male reproductive system;
- 2 studies on fluoride’s impact on insulin production in humans.
To see the full list of translations, click here.
Recently Completed Translations (2013-14)
Over the past year (2013-14), FAN has translated 14 studies that address fluoride’s effects on the joints (including a number of studies linking fluoride exposure to osteoarthritis); 8 studies on fluoride’s central nervous system effects (including 2 studies on human IQ); 8 studies on fluoride’s cardiovascular system effects, 2 studies on fluoride’s anti-thyroid effects, and 1 study on fluoride’s effect on the human reproductive system. To read these translations and to access full-text copies of the original studies, click here.