Australia - Ex- Minister speaks out against
FIGHTBACK
SARAH SCOPELIANOS and SHANE FOWLESJuly 24, 2007
A FORMER federal health minister yesterday weighed in to the furore surrounding the State Government's decision to fluoridate Warrnambool's water supply. Dr Doug Everingham, who served as Gough Whitlam's health minister from 1972-1975, said only public pressure would overturn the decision. The retired general practitioner from Queensland was one of six people who wrote a letter expressing concern about the ``mass medical program of water fluoridation for Warrnambool, Wangaratta and other towns''. The others were Warrnambool doctor Natalie Ryan, former Warrnambool mayor Frank McCarthy, Hepburn Shire's Cr Heather Mutimer, Hope Research Institute's visiting professor Noel Campbell and Water Quality Australia spokesman David McRae. Dr Ryan said her Warrnambool peers had ostracised her because of her anti-fluoridation stance. ``I think I stand alone in the GP community, but I just think this isn't the magic bullet,'' Dr Ryan said.Having read about 100 research articles on the topic during the past week, Dr Ryan said she was convinced fluoridation was harmful.``Dental disease is highly linked to poor food, poor nutrition and high exposure to sugar,'' she said. ``There is no known disease from a lack of fluoride.''Dr Ryan said its effect on tooth decay was being overplayed and toxicity to young children, early onset of puberty in girls and fluoridosis were being ignored. The writers criticised the ``zero'' public consultation, the speed of the decision and accused health authorities of failing to properly examine the harms fluoridation could cause. Department of Human Services spokesman Bram Alexander said he had seen letters Dr Everingham had written and reaffirmed the department's stance that fluoride was safe and effective. ``There are only very small benefits,'' Dr Everingham said.``There's a slight reduction of tooth decay... (There are) no enormous risks but the bad effects can be devastating. There's been a study of male teens that shows there is a higher risk of bone cancers,'' Dr Everingham said. He said that while health minister from 1972 to 1975 he received a lot of inquiries about fluoride but department advice was it was ``perfectly safe''. ``I included things like there had been unconfirmed reports of harm and higher risks of cancers but they were things I couldn't prove,'' he said. ``I think only public pressure from the consumers will have the politics reversed.``People pushing for professional credibility are doing so so they don't get lumped with the so-called crackpots.''
SARAH SCOPELIANOS and SHANE FOWLESJuly 24, 2007
A FORMER federal health minister yesterday weighed in to the furore surrounding the State Government's decision to fluoridate Warrnambool's water supply. Dr Doug Everingham, who served as Gough Whitlam's health minister from 1972-1975, said only public pressure would overturn the decision. The retired general practitioner from Queensland was one of six people who wrote a letter expressing concern about the ``mass medical program of water fluoridation for Warrnambool, Wangaratta and other towns''. The others were Warrnambool doctor Natalie Ryan, former Warrnambool mayor Frank McCarthy, Hepburn Shire's Cr Heather Mutimer, Hope Research Institute's visiting professor Noel Campbell and Water Quality Australia spokesman David McRae. Dr Ryan said her Warrnambool peers had ostracised her because of her anti-fluoridation stance. ``I think I stand alone in the GP community, but I just think this isn't the magic bullet,'' Dr Ryan said.Having read about 100 research articles on the topic during the past week, Dr Ryan said she was convinced fluoridation was harmful.``Dental disease is highly linked to poor food, poor nutrition and high exposure to sugar,'' she said. ``There is no known disease from a lack of fluoride.''Dr Ryan said its effect on tooth decay was being overplayed and toxicity to young children, early onset of puberty in girls and fluoridosis were being ignored. The writers criticised the ``zero'' public consultation, the speed of the decision and accused health authorities of failing to properly examine the harms fluoridation could cause. Department of Human Services spokesman Bram Alexander said he had seen letters Dr Everingham had written and reaffirmed the department's stance that fluoride was safe and effective. ``There are only very small benefits,'' Dr Everingham said.``There's a slight reduction of tooth decay... (There are) no enormous risks but the bad effects can be devastating. There's been a study of male teens that shows there is a higher risk of bone cancers,'' Dr Everingham said. He said that while health minister from 1972 to 1975 he received a lot of inquiries about fluoride but department advice was it was ``perfectly safe''. ``I included things like there had been unconfirmed reports of harm and higher risks of cancers but they were things I couldn't prove,'' he said. ``I think only public pressure from the consumers will have the politics reversed.``People pushing for professional credibility are doing so so they don't get lumped with the so-called crackpots.''
posted by Bill at
9:52 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home