Hamilton Council Praised Over Fluoridation Information

Media release, Wellington, 19 August 2013.

The New Zealand Fluoridation Information Service has praised the Hamilton City Council over the fair and balanced information it has put out about its decision to end fluoridation after a four day tribunal process. It has also been praised for the fair portrayal of today’s science around fluoridation presented in its information sheet that will accompany voting papers for the upcoming fluoridation referendum.

“The information in the three documents to date fairly reflects the balance of the presentations made during the tribunal. While the tribunal process could have been even better, the decision to stop adding Hydrofluorosilicic Acid (aka “fluoride”) to Hamilton’s water was a perfect example of science winning over bias and fifty years of popular misconceptions”, says NZFIS founder, and Science and Legal Advisor, Mark Atkin.

“Recent comments from Craig Climo (WDHB) and Robyn Haisman-Welsh (Ministry of Health) show that these bureaucrats are not only out of touch with current fluoride science, they are out of touch with the position accepted by international fluoridation promoters like the US Centers for Disease Control”, notes Mr Atkin.

Anyone who has watched the tribunal presentations with an open mind will have seen that opponents of fluoridation put up all the science, and the pro-fluoridation side put up nothing but ill-informed, misguided comment and disinformation. Their lack of credibility as so-called health experts lost them the day, both in Hamilton and in New Plymouth in 2011.

This imbalance is equally reflected in the referendum voting information provided by the two sides. The case against fluoridation is based on sound evidence-based science. That put up by the Waikato DHB is empty, unconvincing rhetoric, or worse. For example the claim that ‘60 years of research has proved fluoridation safe’ is an outright lie. The US Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that “no human health studies have ever been conducted” on fluoridation chemicals. The York Review stated that fluoridation proponents never conduct safety research, and did not find fluoridation to be safe. That so-called health professionals constantly repeat such a blatant lie ‘should be of concern to anyone who’s rational’, to quote WDHB CEO Craig Climo.

It’s appalling that the WDHB not only ignore current science, but even worse they stick out text for this pamphlet with incorrect information in it.

“We suggest the Ministry of Health and DHBs ‘have a public communication problem on their hands and need to act quickly to put the correct information out there, or seek help from those that really are in the business of producing health advice that the public can rely on’, reflects Mr Atkin.

For reliable information on fluoridation from reputable organisations we recommend our own site fluoride-info-service-net, fluoridealert.org, or fannz.org.nz.

All Government agencies have previously been warned that if they continue claiming that fluoridation is proved safe they could face legal action, as has begun in the USA.

About NZFIS

NZFIS was formed in 2010 when the Ministry of Health created as dedicated lobby service misrepresenting itself as a neutral information service. NZFIS consults with the leading experts on fluoridation around the world, as well as doctors and dentists.
It provides independent information and comment on the fluoridation issue and research.
The founder is Mark Atkin BSc LLB(Hons)

ENDS

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