Sunday 07 July, 2013

Health minister warns against ‘highly organised campaigns of misinformation’ on fluoridated water debate

Health minister Tony Ryall has told TV One’s Q+A programme that he is warning communities to beware of highly organised anti-fluoride groups who are misinforming people about the effects of fluoride added to drinking water.

The minister told political editor Corin Dann that Hamilton was a case in point. There, the council voted in June to end fluoridation although the issue may go to referendum in this year’s local body elections.

“There are a number of referenda that are going to happen around the country over the run-up to the local body election period,” Ryall says.

“I think communities need to be aware there will be highly organised campaigns of misinformation. There will be people who come from out of town and tell all sorts of shock-horror stories around fluoridation. Communities need to know that that’s part of the strategy that these groups run,” Ryall added.

“One of the things I’ve done is I’ve asked the authorities to look at how they can better convey both the health benefits and the social benefits of fluoridation in such a way that people can appreciate those benefits and be aware of them.”

He added that people “should look to their local district health boards, their local dentists and the evidence which shows that fluoridation in NZ is safe and does benefit families”.

Please note: The transcript of this morning’s Q+A interview with two dentists – one for and one against fluoridation – will be distributed shortly.


Q+A, 9-10am Sundays on TV ONE and one hour later on TV ONE plus 1. Repeated Sunday evening at 11:30pm. Streamed live at www.tvnz.co.nz

Thanks to the support from NZ On Air.

Q+A is on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/NZQandA#!/NZQandA and on Twitter, http://twitter.com/#!/NZQandA

Q+A

TONY RYALL INTERVIEW

SUSAN WOOD
They won in Hamilton, and now they are eyeing Auckland. The Anti-Fluoridation Movement has mounted a PR campaign to convince people that fluoride is dangerous and ineffective. This is a highly emotive issue, with both pro- and anti-campaigners claiming they have the science to back their case. So who is right? In a moment, two dentists; two sides of the story. First we asked the Health Minister if the government should be involved.

TONY RYALL - Health Minister
I don’t think there’s a role for central government in the decision-making. That’s a decision area for local communities. If anything, the Ministry of Health’s responsibility is to make sure that people are informed of what the science says so that communities can make those decisions.

REPORTER Do you think that message is getting through, though? Or that the Ministry of Health is able to get that information to the people that need it?

TONY There’s no doubt all the science points to the fact that there are benefits for families from fluoridation and that the levels of fluoridation are safe for New Zealanders. I think you’ve raised an interesting point, though. How successful have the authorities been in communicating those benefits to the communities? Now, clearly in the Hamilton situation, the evidence and the way that those arguments were presented didn’t sufficiently sway the panel that they had in Hamilton. So one of the things I’ve done is I’ve asked the authorities to look at how they can better convey both the health benefits and the social benefits of fluoridation in such a way that people can appreciate those benefits and be aware of them. There are a number of referenda that are going to happen around the country over the run-up to the local body election period. I think communities need to be aware there will be highly organised campaigns of misinformation. There will be people who come from out of town and tell all sorts of shock-horror stories around fluoridation. Communities need to know that that’s part of the strategy that these groups run, and they should look to their local district health boards, their local dentists and the evidence which shows that fluoridation in NZ is safe and does benefit families.

ends

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