Support for Court Decision on Fluoride

27 June 2018

The decision by the Supreme Court to support the fluoridation of public water supplies is a victory for common sense and evidence based decision making.

The chief executive of Water New Zealand, John Pfahlert said today that the rejection of appeals to the Supreme Court against the fluoridation of water supplies at Patea and Waverley was a victory for the application of common sense and evidence based decision making.

He said the appellants, New Health, have forced the South Taranaki District Council to spend upwards of $500,000 defending their decision to fluoridate the public water supplies at Patea and Waverley in South Taranaki.

The matter has been in front of various courts in New Zealand for nearly 5 years and has cost ratepayers dearly, said Mr Pfahlert.

In 2014 the Royal Society of NZ and the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor released a major review of the scientific evidence on fluoridation. They concluded that there was no evidence in the international literature of adverse effects on public health and had significant health benefits in the area of dental care.

Mr Pfahlert said in light of this court decision Councils could now act to fluoridate public water supplies in the knowledge that there is both a sound legal and scientific justification for doing so.

ENDS

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