Explosive: new mainstream study concludes fluorides are lowering children's IQ.
The study referred to in this interview was published in Environmental Health Perspectives, in September 2017. It is titled:
"Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6-12 Years of Age." It is often referred to as the Bashash study, after its first listed author.
The study concluded: "...higher prenatal fluoride exposure, in the
general range of exposures reported for other general population samples
of pregnant women and nonpregnant adults, was associated with lower
scores on tests of cognitive function in the offspring at age 4 and 6-12
y."
In short, pregnant women exposed to fluorides give birth to children who later show up with lower IQ.
I interviewed Paul Connett, PhD.
From his CV: "Paul Connett is Professor Emeritus in Environmental
Chemistry at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. For the past 30
years, Paul has put his scientific knowledge to work by helping (without
fee) communities around the world understand the science of
controversial issues like...fluoridation. In addition to explaining the
dangers of these practices he offers details of the alternatives...[Dr.
Connett is the author of]
The Case Against Fluoride (Chelsea Green, 2011, co-authored with James Beck & H. Spedding Micklem)."
"Paul has researched the literature on fluoride's toxicity and the
fluoridation debate for 17 years. He helped to found the Fluoride Action
Network (FAN)."
I found the following items from Dr. Connett's bio fascinating:
"In June 2001, Paul (together with Dr. William Hirzy) was invited to
debate proponents of fluoridation at the annual conference of the
Association for Science in the Public Interest (ASIPI) in Richmond,
Virginia. The proponents refused to participate in this debate."
"In November 2001, Paul (together with Dr. Phyllis Mullenix) were
invited by the American College of Toxicology to debate proponents, but
they [the proponents of fluoridation] again refused. On both the above
occasions Dr. Connett gave a presentation of the arguments against
fluoridation in lieu of the debate."
"In March 2003, Paul was invited by the US EPA to present the opponent's
position in a one-on-one debate on fluoridation to be held at their
annual Science Forum in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2003. Despite a six
week effort by the organizers of this event, no scientist or official
holding a pro-fluoridation position was willing to participate in this
debate. In lieu of this debate, Paul provided a power-point presentation
to a packed audience, which included 8 congressional aides,
representatives from major environmental organizations, EPA officials
and the media. The title of Paul's talk---
'Fluoridation: The Undefendable Practice.'"
Here is my interview with Dr. Connett:
Q: There is a new study on the effect of fluorides on IQ. Several
questions: Do you believe the study is well done? Does it deserve our
attention? What conclusions does it draw?
A: This is a very important study. You can see my reaction to it in the
videotaped interview at this link on the day it was published:
Fluoride Exposure in Utero Linked to Lower IQ in Kids, New Study Says.
Taken at face value it should have been a good study. It was financed
largely by the NIEHS [National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences] (part of NIH [US National Institutes of Health], which of
course is pro-fluoridation). It was conducted largely by specialists in
the field who have done similar studies on other neurotoxicants. None of
them to my knowledge had taken a public position against water
fluoridation (indeed one was known to be pro-fluoridation) so the notion
of bias here was small...
Q: What is the reaction of public health agencies to the new study?
A: Pro-fluoridation agencies have done what they always do - attack any
study that finds harm. They are all more interested in protecting the
archaic practice of water fluoridation than to protect the health of our
children. Extraordinary that any civil servant should think that
children's teeth are more important than their brains! The people at the
top are desperately trying to protect a policy they have waxed lyrical
about for 70 years. The people in the middle are taught to promote
"policy" not question it and the people at the bottom simply believe
what they were taught at dental or medical school and reinforced by
their professional bodies. Others I think are very concerned that if
they lose fluoridation it will affect the public's trust in other public
health practices - a clear example would be vaccination, a
multi-billion dollar interest supported by the CDC (a big champion of
fluoridation).
Q: How have major media reacted to the new study?
A: Apart from CNN and CTV in Canada and Newsweek there has been little
coverage by the mainstream media. It was not covered by the NY Times,
the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal or any other major
newspaper. That again is extraordinary for a study of this significance.
Sadly, this is also typical of these outlets when it comes to the
detailed science on this issue. They simply don't want to know.
Q: I've been covering the fluoride situation [fluoridating water
supplies] in New Zealand. Last I heard, there was a move to take
decision-making away from local governments and put it in the hands of
federal health councils, who would determine whether to fluoridate water
supplies. Can you give me an update?
A: Yes this is a dreadful development. Thus, in addition to the health
issues we now have democracy threatened in NZ. Yesterday [11/16/17], the
new government re-introduced the bill [handing over fluoridating
decisions to federal authorities] for a second reading. One can only
hope that the coalition partners will not be bullied into going along
with this. A NZ first member is strongly against this bill. I would hope
that the Green Party will not be railroaded on this either. But they
have been very weak so far.
Q: I've been told that many years ago, you were in favor of water
fluoridation. What was the turning point? What made you change your
mind?
A: To be more accurate I didn't want to get involved. I was so busy
teaching chemistry and working on waste [disposal issues] (which has
taken me to 49 states and 65 other countries) that I didn't have time
for a third issue. And I certainly didn't want a third issue in which if
I got involved would get me labelled as "loony tunes." Over the years I
was approached by three different people to get involved (once in
Spokane, WA; another from Ohio and a third from Ontario). I resisted
them all. Then someone I couldn't resist twisted my arm...- my wife - in
1996. When I read the literature she had amassed I was both shocked
with what I learned and embarrassed that I had not got involved before. I
have spent the last 21 years trying to make amends.
---end of interview---
Here are further comments on the new Bashash fluoride study, from the
group Dr. Connett helped start, the Fluoride Action Network:
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