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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 5

Written Answers. - Fluoridation Forum.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

85 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the fact that the Food Safety Authority in Ireland initially recommended that fluoridated water should not be used to bottle feed infants; the manner in which this recommendation was subsequently changed by the Fluoridation Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27598/03]

Concerns were raised at the Fluoridation Forum about the consumption of infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated tap water. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, which was represented on the forum, requested its scientific committee to conduct a risk assessment to determine if there is a risk of adverse effects in infants from the consumption of infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated tap water. The final report of the FSAI concluded that there is not significant evidence of any adverse effect, other than dental fluorosis, when assessing the risk of fluoride intake for young infants. The risk of moderate fluorosis in the primary and permanent dentitions was assessed as very low in exclusively formula fed infants aged 0 to four months.

The final conclusions of the FSAI were not changed in any way by the Fluoridation Forum. The scientific committee of the FSAI, and not the Fluoridation Forum, updated its report to take account of new scientific evidence. The FSAI concluded that there is no significant evidence of any adverse effect, other than dental fluorosis, when assessing the risk of fluoride intake for young infants.

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