Michael Healy-Rae
Question:180. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding fluoride; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28189/15]
View answerThursday, 9 July 2015
Questions (180)
Written answers
A number of studies from China, and the systematic review of these by Choi (from the Harvard Medical School) which claim an effect on children's IQ at very high levels of naturally occurring fluoride, were assessed by the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health in 2011. They were found to be of no relevance to Ireland, given our regulated fluoridation levels. The view of the Expert Body is that the overall design of the studies is poor and they do not provide evidence of any effect on children's IQ from either high or low fluoride levels. This view was shared by EU Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) in its Report in 2011. The evidence review by the Health Research Board, "Health Effects of Water Fluoridation", which was published in June 2015 also supports this view. It found that there was only one study carried out in an area like Ireland where there is community water fluoridation that examined fluoride and IQ. This was a prospective cohort study in New Zealand. The study concluded that there was no evidence of a detrimental effect on IQ as a result of exposure to community water fluoridation. The other study referred to by the Deputy was published very recently and is currently under review.