133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
21 April 2023
S Robinson
By email: [FYI request #22280 email]
Ref:
H2023022609
Tēnā koe S Robinson
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū
Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 27 March 2023 for information regarding community water
fluoridation. Please find a response to each part of your request below:
“Is the Ministry of Health aware of the recent report led by the National Toxicology
Program (NTP) that was suppressed by the United States government which found
fluoride can reduce IQ?”
Manatū Hauora is aware of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) report. I am advised that
the report has not been suppressed but is currently under review. Peer review is a crucial
part of the scientific process, and robust analysis is important for it to be able to withstand
scientific scrutiny.
“….Please provide all correspondence, minutes of meetings, internal and external
memos, including text messages that mention fluoridation and/or fluoride between the
Ministry of Health and any other person or agency between the period of January 1,
2023, up until, and including today March 27, 2023.”
Manatū Hauora has corresponded with you between 29 March and 3 April 2023 to refine the
scope of this part of your request.
In your email of 30 March 2023, you have confirmed that the scope of your request is as
follows:
“1) Please provide all documents, correspondence, minutes of meetings, internal and
external memos, including text messages that include fluoridation and/or fluoride
between the Ministry of Health and any other person or agency between the period of
March 10, 2023, up until, and including today March 30, 2023.
2) With respect to the report led by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that was
suppressed by the United States government regarding water fluoridation, is there
consideration for a review of the government's decision to fluoridate our countries
water supply?”
As you did not refine your request to official correspondence only, this part of your request is
refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as the information requested cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research. I have considered whether changing or
extending the time to compile the information would enable us to respond. However, I do not
believe it is in the public interest to do so.
Please be aware that including all correspondence that mentions fluoridation and/or fluoride,
including emails and text messages, not limited to of icial correspondence, would require
collating thousands of documents. As a significant portion of these are texts and emails, this
would also require individual assessment of each piece of correspondence to discern its
contents. This would place an unreasonable degree of strain on the team responsible and
would interfere with the day-to-day workings of the Ministry. Manatū Hauora is open to
responding to this part of your request in the future if you choose to refine your request as
stated above.
“When the government approved the use of fluoride in our water supply were any of
the following reviews and studies included? If not, why not?
•
ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1104912
•
ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-019-0551-x
•
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21255877/
•
www.researchgate.net/publication/312057754_Mechanisms_of_Fluoride_Neur
otoxicity_A_quick_guide_to_the_literature
•
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651322008612
In 2014, a comprehensive report was published by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, prepared
jointly with the Of ice of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, reviewing the substantial
body of scientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of fluoridation of public drinking water
supplies. The report concluded that there are no adverse health effects of any significance
arising from fluoridation at the levels used in New Zealand.
In June 2021, the Of ice of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor released an evidence
update on community water fluoridation. The update confirmed that the conclusions of the
2014 report remain appropriate. These reviews are publicly available and can be found at:
www.pmcsa.ac.nz/topics/fluoridation-an-update-on-evidence. You wil see that the studies
considered are referenced throughout the report and links to further reading and resources
are provided.
“With regards to the recent meta-analysis, reviews and lawsuits involving water
fluoridation wil there be a review of the government's decision to fluoridate our
countries water supply? If not, why not?”
The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Act 2021 requires that before making a direction
to fluoridate a drinking water supply, the Director-General of Health is to consider the
scientific evidence on the effectiveness of adding fluoride to drinking water in reducing the
prevalence and severity of dental decay; and whether the benefits of adding fluoride to
drinking water outweigh the costs, taking into account the oral health status and size of the
community as well as the financial costs and savings of fluoridation, including ongoing
management and monitoring.
Page 2 of 3
“Please disclose what form of fluoride is added to our water supply.”
Drinking water suppliers are responsible for providing safe drinking water to their
communities and need to meet the drinking water standards. Drinking water suppliers are
responsible for sourcing all of their treatment chemicals (including fluoride) and ensuring
product purity. The information you have requested is not held by Manatū Hauora and
therefore is refused under section 18(g) of the Act. I have not transferred your request to the
suppliers as they are not covered by the Official Information Act. However, if there are
particular areas that you are interested in, I recommend that you contact the relevant
regional authorities to request the information.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/responses-of icial-information-act-requests
Nāku noa, nā
Jane Chambers
Group Manager
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
Page 3 of 3
