Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Destroyed Government support for childhood vaccines exist The worst measles outbreak in yearsHe is now targeting another long-standing American public health pillar: water fluorination.
HHS will convene a committee of experts Review federal government recommendations The agency announced on Monday that the community had swelled water. The Environmental Protection Agency also launched Review of science about the health effects of fluoride.
The end result of these inquiries seems to be a foregone conclusion: Kennedy told the Associated Press that he hopes the government can Stop fluorination. He calls Fluoride “industrial waste” And blame it on a range of health conditions, from childhood nerve damage to bone cancer.
Baning Fluoride is an integral part of Kennedy’s campaign Make America healthy again. The commentary news was the same day he appeared in Salt Lake City, praising Utah as The first state that formally bans water fluorination.
“It doesn’t make sense in our water supply,” Kennedy told reporters. “I am proud that this country is the first to ban it and I hope more people will come.”
Briefly explain the confusing science about water fluorination
The U.S. government has supported the fluorination of water since 1950 and has long been considered a major public health victory. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that, based on the best evidence, Fluoride in water reduces tooth rot 25% of children and adults. About one in five Americans are now Drink fluorinated water from their community water system.
Concerns about the health effects of fluorinated water have also been around for decades, especially in A conspiracy Like Kennedy. Like many conspiracies, it has some basis in reality – but reality is more sirable than Kennedy’s new appeal.
As neuroscientist Celia Ford covered Vox last year Questions about fluorinated water Growing after the National Toxicology Program expresses it with “moderate” confidence Increased exposure to fluoride It can reduce children’s IQ.
This is a discovery worth taking seriously, but only in the context. The fluoride elevation levels studied in the report are above 1.5 mg per liter – more than twice Existing federal guidelines on the increase in water in fluoride communities. this The effect size is also very smalla total of 1-2 points.
The ones who really care about are a few people. About 1.9 milesllionWorld Health Organization Living near the community water source This already contains more than 1.5 mg per liter of natural fluoride. (Those people might want to Consider a water filterFord wrote. )
As for Kennedy’s other claimssuch as the link between fluorinated water and cancer, CDC says Cancer research on natural fluoride levels No connection was found.
RFK Jr. The actual damage to fluoride can be done
Although Kennedy may be the top health official in the United States, he has no final word on whether Americans can enter fluoride to reduce the risk of the cavity. States and territories control community water systems that serve most Americans. For example, Hawaii has Fluorination has never been approved, Although this practice is not completely banned.
This can be cut in two ways: Kennedy said he hopes other states and cities follow Utah leadership, and his support can enable certain state and local officials to advance with their own bans. But he can’t change the state laws regarding fluorination; some of these states, California and Illinois, need Cities of certain sizes are flooded. They seem unlikely to get clues from Kennedy.
The good news is that even if Kennedy can successfully encourage more states to embrace his anti-science platform and remove fluoride from the water supply, the ultimate impact on people’s dental health may eventually be limited. A recent review of scientific literature shows that water fluorination studies conducted after the introduction of fluoride into toothpaste have found Less impact on tooth decay than earlier studies.
But even if the actual impact of the Kennedys Crusaders could be trivial, it could still have influence: Most Americans (41% I don’t know if fluoride is harmful And it helps. Now, top U.S. health officials are calling for a ban on using it. The impact of this ban will be disproportionate to the least advantaged and most unfavorable people – one in four children live below the federal poverty line Experience untreated tooth decay.
Combined with his actions against vaccines, Kennedy’s reckless overhaul of long-term public health advice could undermine public trust and support Extensive public health effortssome are much more important than fluorination.
