Fluoridation safe, effective - report
A comprehensive new report on
the safety and efficacy of community water fluoridation aims
to put to rest concerns and misinformation over the public
health intervention.
The addition of fluoride
to community drinking water to improve dental health has
been taking place in New Zealand since 1954 and
currentlymore than half the populationreceives fluoridated water. However,
community water fluoridation (CWF) has been a high profile
issue in recent years with several councils removing
fluoride from public water supplies in the face of intense
lobbying from anti-fluoridation groups. At the core of
opposition to CWF is concern over the potential health
effects of fluoride.
The new report, released today, was jointly
commissioned by the Royal Society of New Zealand and the
Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor. It draws on an
extensive review of the scientific evidence to conclude that
the levels of fluoridation used in New Zealand are safe and
effective in reducing tooth decay.
"The process for
the review was rigorous," said President of the Royal Society of New
Zealand Sir David Skegg. "It included an extensive
evaluation of the scientific literature by a panel of five
experts, as well as one lay observer with local body
experience. The resulting report was reviewed by three
international experts and by the Director of the National
Poisons Centre."
The final report, titled Health
Effects of Community Water Fluoridation: a review of the
Scientific Evidence, concluded that CWF was effective in
reducing tooth decay (particularly in populations with poor
levels of oral health) and posed no significant health risks
at the levels currently used in New Zealand.
"The
public can be reassured on the basis of robust scientific
data, that the implementation of this public health measure
poses no risk of adverse health effects," said Prime
Minister's Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman. "It is
worth noting that dental health remains a major issue for
much of the New Zealand population, particularly in
communities of low socioeconomic status."
The report
deliberately avoided addressing any broader philosophical or
ethical issues around CFW, choosing only to focus on the
health and efficacy considerations. The authors of the
report suggested that a similar review be undertaken every
10 years to ensure that that ongoing research can be used to
inform policy decisions.
Visit Health Effects
of Water Fluoridation for full report, executive summary and
a list of contributors.
On the science
radar this week...
Ear tickling
boosts heart health, passport officers can't spot the
difference, it's good to feel bad at work, how to create
flower power tyres, and fifty shades of...
harm?
Dirty Politics and smeared
scientists
Investigative journalist
Nicky Hager's new book Dirty Politics appears set to
colour the whole tone of the current election
campaign.
It has also allegedly given us a
window into the tactics of bloggers, lobbyists and political
strategists intent on discrediting scientists who present
evidence that conflicts with their political and commercial
interests.
The movie Thank You for Smoking gets
several mentions in Dirty Politics. It follows the
exploits of Washington D.C. big tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor
and his efforts to use pseudoscience and spin to defend the
tobacco industry. Nick meets regularly for lunch with a
collection of lobbyist colleagues who represent the alcohol,
fast food, firearms, oil drilling and hazardous waste
industries. They call themselves the MOD Squad - the
merchants of death.
Dirty Politics, based
largely on emails and chat transcripts hacked from the Gmail
and Facebook accounts of Cameron Slater, founder of the
Whaleoil blog, reveals that we have our own MOD Squad, who
are accused of coordinating attacks on scientists and public
health researchers and of funnelling money from big business
to the bloggers willing to uncritically push the corporate
line. Among those allegedly targeted in campaigns launched
via Whale Oil include University of Otago alcohol researcher
and alcohol reform advocate Professor Doug
Sellman.
Responding this week to the leaked emails
outlined in the book, Professor Sellman said:
"I'm not
surprised about this new evidence because this is exactly
the sort of secret industry tactics we were warned about
from the outset of the Alcohol Action law reform campaign
five years ago".
Other experts dismissed as
"troughers" in Whale Oil posts include the University of
Auckland's Dr Boyd Swinbum and Otago's Dr Janet Hoek. Under
Section 162 of the Education Act (1989), the academics above
accept a role of "critic and conscience of society",
a role their input into discussion of public health issues
in New Zealand would seem to fulfil. That role has also,
Dirty Politics reveals, made them targets of smear
campaigns from those threatened by the evidence they
present.
The SMC's Peter Griffin explores the
revelations further in a post on Sciblogs.
Quoted: Science Media Centre
''If a fissure eruption occurs
beyond the icecap, it could be very impressive - perhaps a
100 metre high fire-fountain along a 1 km fissure, feeding
lava flows.
"I am looking forward to seeing video if this happens.''
Prof. David Rothery, UK
vulcanologist, commenting on Icelandic volcano
Bardabunga
A week of science about to kick off
Next week is going to be
science-central in Auckland - literally thousands of
scientists will be in town for a number of major
conferences, many of which are accompanied by public
events.
The SMC will even host our Science
Media Centre colleagues from around the world who will be
meeting in Auckland for the first time ever, a proud moment
for the SMC team.
The Royal Society of New Zealand has
a detailed breakdown of the events that
will be running next week.
Here are a few of
the highlights...
• The 31st triennial General
Assembly of the International Council for
Science (ICSU). Established in 1931 and based in
Paris, ICSU represents more than 121 national science
academies and 31 scientific unions. 25th August - 3rd
September
•
•
• The 6th biennial
Open Science Conference of the Scientific Committee
on Antarctic Research (SCAR). With more than 1500
attendees, it is by far the largest international gathering
of Antarctic scientists.
•
•
• The annual
general meeting of the Council of Managers of National
Antarctic Programs (COMNAP). Symposium Auckland 25 August,
AGM Christchurch 27 - 29 August
•
•
• The
4th biennial United States - New Zealand Joint Committee
Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation (JCM), a joint
dialogue on areas such as natural hazards and resilience,
climate change, and oceans. 25th -26th
August
•
•
• The Science and Diplomacy
Symposium, focusing on how scientists can input into foreign
affairs. 27th August
•
•
• Inaugural
Science Advice to Governments conference
involving the world's most eminent Science Advisors. The
conference will focus on the practice of providing
policy-relevant science advice to governments. 28th - 29th
August
•
•
• The 2nd APEC Chief Science
Advisors and equivalents meeting, a forum for informal
discussion on the science and policy interface amongst
science advisors to the highest level of government within
APEC economies. 30th August
•
•
The
Chief Scientists gather
Sir Peter Gluckman
will be bringing together scientific advisors from all over
the world for a two-day summit that I'll be
present at and live blogging from. Check out the line up of
guest speakers - it will be a high-powered event and highly
relevant to some of the big science-related issues we are
grappling with in New Zealand at the
moment.
Negotiating science communication
minefields
Also head along to listen
to myself, Dr Susannah Elliot and Fiona Fox, the
founders of the NZ, Australian and UK Science Media Centres
respectively, talk about some of the big science-related
controversies we've worked on over the last decade.
It
is a public event organised by PRINZ, the Public Relations
Institute. There's a cover charge, but there will be booze
and nibbles...
Policy news and
developments
Shark finning to be
banned from 1 October - A total ban on the finning
of all shark species within New Zealand waters will take
effect from 1 October this year, which will close a loophole
not covered by previous banning of live shark
finning.
Preparing New Zealand for
Ebola - As a precaution, public health officers are
being given additional powers to hold aeroplanes and ships
at the border if there are concerns that a person on board
may be infected with the Ebola virus.
Kiwis
keen on seafood - The Ministry for Primary
Industries has released the results of a survey asking New
Zealanders what they think about the aquaculture
industry.
The Friday
video...
/
Cyborg
moths 'dance' to disco lights
New From the SMC
Experts respond:
Icelandic volcano: New Zealand and UK experts comment on whether the Bárðarbunga volcano will erupt and what might happen if it does.
Superbug control measures questioned: The jury is still out on the effectiveness of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superbug control policies in hospitals.
Antibiotics and heart
deaths: One of the most commonly prescribed
antibiotics, clarithromycin, is linked with an increased
risk of heart deaths, suggests a new study published in the
BMJ.
In the news:
Tuatara's distant relative also survived
asteroid: New fossils from South America overturn
the current thinking that the tuatara was the only species
of its kind to survive a catastrophic asteroid impact
millions of years ago.
Kiwis help
tackle Aussie pests: New Zealand-designed software
created to predict and tackle mouse outbreaks is being
trialled in Australia.
Antarctic
science: Ahead of next week's Scientific Committee
on Antarctic Research biennial meeting in Auckland, the
New Zealand Herald's Jamie Morton highlights eight
Kiwi research projects currently under way in the deep
south.
From the SMC Network
From the UK
SMC:
Expert reaction to the news that
the two US Ebola patients have been discharged from hospital
Expert reaction to the supply of
experimental Ebola drugs
Sciblogs highlights
Some of the highlights
from this week's Sciblogs
posts:
The humility of being
second to Australia in cancer mortality - Tony
Blakely and Diana Sarfati respond to research showing New
Zealand has more cancer deaths than Australia.
Public
Health Expert
Crowd funding, Trade Me and
Network Externalities - What role will crowd funded
equity play in New Zealand, and why is TradeMe unique, asks
William Taylor.
Dismal Science
Engineering, lego and line followers
- Marcus Wilson looks at how using lego can inspire
innovation in students.
Physics Stop
Anti-fluoride activists unhappy about
scientific research - Ken Perrott discusses
Fluoride Free NZ's response to Sir Peter Gluckman's
fluoridation review.
Open Parachute
Policy our lives depend on: Health research
in election 2014- John Pickering gathers the health
research policies for the political parties contending the
current general election.
Kidney Punch
Research highlights
Some
of the research papers making headlines this
week.
Kiwi bees reveal the whole
story: Over the last decade the invasive varroa
mite - and the bee-harming viruses it carries - has marched
the length of the country. Now, careful examination of hives
at different stages of infestation - from the frontline of
Dunedin to the varroa stronghold of Hamilton - has revealed
the complex interplay of viruses that cause the real damage
to bees.
PLOS Pathogens
Fijian
fish turn their noses up at 'ghetto' reefs: Young
fish and corals in the South Pacific are repulsed by the
stink of damaged reefs and will keep looking elsewhere
rather than settle, suggests new Fiji-based research. The
study shows that both animals can smell chemical signals
from and avoid particular types of seaweed, while being
attracted to areas with live, healthy coral - suggesting
that rehabilitating damaged reefs will be more challenging
than expected.
Science
Life below
ice: Scientists have found a surprisingly vibrant
and diverse microscopic community living in the dark and
cold depths of Lake Whillans, locked away beneath the
permanently-frozen West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The researchers
say that their findings mean it might be possible to find
similar communities living in equally harsh extraterrestrial
environments, such as on
Mars.
Nature
Exercise boosts
brain connections in kids: A new study looking at
exercise and brain structure in 9- and 10-year-olds has
found that those who do more aerobic exercise have more
fibrous and compact white matter - suggesting that the
nerves connect faster and more efficiently, improving
attention and memory.
Frontiers in Human
Neuroscience
Cell-like technology mimics
underwater camouflagers:Inspired by the incredible
colour-changing skin of octopuses, US researchers have
developed an adaptive, flexible camouflage surface. The
device is based on malleable panels that use light sensors
and temperature-sensitive dyes to mimic their surroundings.
Although the technology is just at prototype stage, the
authors say that it can be easily adapted for applications
in military and commercial
sectors.
PNAS
Upcoming sci-tech
events
For these and other upcoming
events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events
Calendar.
• Queenstown Research
Week - 23 to 29 August, Queenstown. Biosciences-
and medical-themed meetings and networking socials.
•
•
• World Science Week New
Zealand - 25 August to 3 September, Auckland. Over
2,000 leading scientists, researchers and government science
advisors gather for an interrelated series of international
science summits.
•
•
• Why Men
Cook But Don't Wash Up - 27 August, Wellington. Dr
Ian Yeoman looks at why modern men aren't afraid to cook up
a storm in the kitchen, but don't wash
up.
ends