Ground Breaking Study - Fluoridated Water Lowers Kid's IQs

The world's premier pediatric journal (JAMA Pediatrics) has published a new government-funded study, Association Between Maternal Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy and IQ Scores in Offspring, confirming our worst fears, linking exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy to lowered IQ for the developing child.

Making the publication of this study even more impactful is that it is accompanied by an editor’s note, a podcast featuring the journal’s editors, and an editorial from world-renowned neurotoxicity expert Dr. David Bellinger. This reaction by the JAMA editors shows just how important the study is, as most studies in their journal don't receive this treatment.

The editors express how “very concerning” and “startling” the evidence is against fluoridation, and how the neurological damage is “on par with lead.” They praise the high quality of this study, and call for additional NIH funding of more fluoride research.

Most importantly, they recommend that pregnant women avoid drinking fluoridated water - something Fluoride Free NZ has been saying for many years.

And this study does not stand alone. It confirms previous findings by Bashash et al. in 2017 and Thomas et al. in 2018; that low levels of fluoride during foetal development will cause cognitive impairment, as well as over 300 animal and other human studies indicating fluoride’s potential to damage the brain.

Bashash addressed virtually all the criticisms of the many papers published previously from China. This Canadian study addresses all of the minor criticisms of the Bashash study. Pro-fluoridation commentators now have the level of evidence they demanded - are they going to be honest and accept that we must now impose a moratorium on fluoridation?

As the editor of JAMA Pediatrics put it: “The effects of this study are comparable to the effects of lead, and if these findings are true there should be as much concern about prenatal fluoride exposure.”

A recent Report carried out by the O’Brien Institute of Public Health in Canada dismissed the New Zealand Broadbent study, the only epidemiological study that has found fluoridation does not reduce IQ, because of its poor quality. It was produced by pro-fluoridation dentists, not neurotoxicologists.

The Canadian study is even more concerning for New Zealanders than for Canadians. The NZ Ministry of Health recommends fluoride at 0.85ppm, whereas the target level in Canada is only 0.7ppm. A study on fluoride urine levels in New Zealand found pregnant women had higher levels than pregnant women in Candada (0.82ppm compared with 0.69ppm - 19% higher).

Local councils, not DHBs, are responsible for the decision on whether a water supply should be fluoridated - with only 22 of the councils, out of 67, choosing to fluoridate at least some of their water. In light of the current state of scientific research on this fluoride-IQ connection, fluoridation is arguably unlawful under current NZ legislation.

To find out if you or your child was exposed to fluoridated water at this crucial time of development see Is My Town Fluoridated.

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