August 15, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
I have been asked by a number of people to send a brief e-mail relating to recent water fluoridation issues.
Attached are public information pieces in order of appearance.
1. April, 2008. The Joint Government of Canada Response to
Environmental
Petition No. 221 to discontinue water
fluoridation.
This document shows strong support for public water fluoridation from the Government of Canada.
2. June, 2008. Health Canada had been through a lengthy review of water
fluoridation. It consisted of specific reviews from a number of scientific experts in the field and included an expert panel meeting on fluoride.
This review process involved scientists from the Universities of British Columbia, Montreal, Iowa, Toronto, scientists from many areas of Health Canada and also included input from the Canadian Dental Association, the US Environmental Protection Agency and public health experts from Canada and the US.
The review took place in 2006, 2007 and included the expert panel meeting in January 2007. The findings and recommendations of the review were placed on-line in June, 2008 at this web link:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/
2008-fluoride-fluorure/
index-eng.php
3. July 23, 2008. Release by the Ontario Dental Association after the International Association of Dental Research meeting in Toronto.
4. July 31, 2008. Placed on web by Health Canada.
Health Canada's letter:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/oral-bucco/care-soin/fluor-eng.php
5. August 7, 2008. Canadian Dental Association/Ontario Dental
Association/
Health Canada's Media Release.
6. August 8, 2008. Ontario Dental Hygienists Association Media Release.
7. August 15, 2008. Public Health Agency of Canada/ Canadian Dental
Hygienists Association/ Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Position Release.
Best wishes to all,
Peter.
Dr. Peter Cooney
Chief Dental Officer, Health Canada
A.L. 1501A, Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario K1A OK9
e-mail: peter_cooney@hc-sc.gc.ca
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/branch-dirgen/fnihb-dgspni/ocdo-bdc/index_e.html
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April, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
Please find attached the Joint Government of Canada Response to Environmental Petition No. 221 to discontinue water fluoridation.
This response comes from:
* the Minister of Health and the Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario,
* the Minister of the Environment,
* the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians,
* Transport Canada.
Within Health Canada, review and approval was obtained from:
* the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB),
* the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC),
* the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB),
* the Office of the Chief Dental Officer (OCDO),
* the Audit and Accountability Bureau (AAB),
* Legal Services.
The document takes a strong position on the value of fluoridated water in Canada. It states:
" The fluoridation of drinking water supplies is a well-accepted measure to protect public health and is strongly supported by scientific evidence.
Fluoride is used internationally to protect dental health. It has been added to public drinking water supplies around the world for more than half a century, as a public health/dental health measure. The use of fluoride in the prevention of dental caries continues to be endorsed by over 90 national and international professional health organizations including Health Canada, the Canadian Dental Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration of the United States."
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Peter Cooney
Chief Dental Officer, Health Canada
