Media Release Fluoride Free New Zealand
www.fluoridefree.org.nz
17th December 2014

Judge Advises Circumventing Law on Fluoride

Justice David Collins has taken it upon himself to advise the NZ Ministry of Health's legal team on how best to circumvent the Judicial Review before him, regarding fluoridation in New Zealand. It appears the Judge is well aware that the appeal by New Health New Zealand would be bound to find that fluoridation chemicals should indeed be declared a medicine. To get around this inevitable ruling, the judge has advised the Ministry of Health to ask the government to make fluoridation chemicals exempt from the Medicines Act.

According to our regulatory body, Medsafe, any substance where a therapeutic purpose is claimed, regardless of whether the therapy actually works, is required to be classified under the Medicines Act and meet all the normal requirements of a medicine. Why then should fluoridation chemicals be exempt from these rules? Why would a chemical that is delivered to everyone in the community to supposedly to reduce dental decay be exempt from any rules at all? Surely a chemical delivered to everyone, without oversight of individual reaction, and without advice on dose, should be subjected to the harshest rules.

The Ministry of Health has now carried out the advice given by the judge and announced the Ministry is seeking a legal exemption for the unnatural toxic fluoridation chemicals being added to NZ municipal water supplies from being classed as medicines. This highlights the Ministry's lack of confidence in fluoridation chemicals being able to pass muster if they are subjected to the same rules that other therapeutic agents are.

In an example of either the Ministry of Health's complete lack of understanding, or their desire to pull the wool over the eyes of the public, the consultation document states the purpose is to provide legal clarity that fluoride substances used to treat drinking water are not medicines. However, no fluoride substances are used to treat the drinking water as they do not contain disinfecting agents of any type. They are solely added for the purpose of treating people for a medical condition.

The consultation window was set for a mere 5 weeks between the first week in December and the first week in January (closes 9th of January). A behind-the-scenes manoeuver over the Christmas period, when most people are too busy to notice dirty fluoridation politics!

A moratorium on fluoridation in New Zealand has been called for by Dr Stan Litras, the Convenor of the Fluoride Information Network for Dentists, and the public health advocacy and education group, Fluoride Free New Zealand (FFNZ). FFNZ is calling for a NZ parliamentary symposium on fluoridation. It is now time for the New Zealand public to demand a full inquiry into the failed policy of water fluoridation.

See Urgent - MoH try to Exempt Fluoride Chemicals [1] for information on how public feedback can be given.

Links:

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[1] http://fluoridefree.org.nz/urgent-moh-try-exempt-fluoride-chemicals/

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