For a third time, the Fluoride Action Network has petitioned the EPA to get the “F” out of our water – fluoride, that is. And once again, the agency denied the petition that would have banned the practice of fluoridating US water supplies.
Rather than exercising caution and employing the precautionary principle, the EPA’s ruling squarely places a legal burden of proof on any citizen who might be harmed by consuming too much fluoride.
However, the EPA did note that
The petition cites several studies as evidence that water fluoridation does not have any demonstrable benefit to the prevention of tooth decay.
After reviewing the scientific studies, the EPA expressed concerns based on small sample size and uncontrolled confounders such as recall bias and socioeconomic status.
Certainly, the EPA’s mischaracterization of scientific evidence is nothing new. The recent denial continues to disparage scientists and dismisses citizens who believe they have a right to avoid being medicated against their will. But perhaps most effectively, the denial continues to plant doubt in the minds of the general public. For while the EPA chooses to discredit the scientific data opponents presented, it offers no scientific evidence that fluoridation is safe or effective.
The Fluoride Action Network is not alone in their opposition to fluoridated water supplies. A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that water fluoridation is neither safe nor effective. According the the CDC, dental fluorosis is a common neurotoxic biomarker. It’s a biomarker that, when present, may also indicate a potential for skeletal fluorosis in the body. Placing risks in context makes this statement from the EPA seem completely out of touch,
After careful consideration, EPA denied [the petition], primarily because EPA concluded that the petition has not set forth a scientifically defensible basis to conclude that any persons have suffered neurotoxic harm as a result of exposure to fluoride in the U.S. through the purposeful addition of fluoridation chemicals to drinking water or otherwise from fluoride exposure in the U.S.
That is why, when it comes to your family’s drinking water, we urge you to dig deeper. Find out why an increasing number of scientific, health, medical, dental and environmental professionals are calling for end to water fluoridation. We believe if you watch this video, you’ll want to share it’s message with others. The EPA’s decision can, and we believe should, be challenged in federal court. But to get the fluoride out of our water, we, as citizens, will have to make some waves.
Image by Dr. Hardy Limeback and Dr. Iain Pretty (courtesy of Fluoride Action Network).
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