Fwd: As world questions amalgam, FDA backs down

[Guest guest]

[forwarded message]

*With World Questioning Mercury Fillings, FDA Backs Down*

Dear Friends,

After months of preparation and an overwhelming response from you when

we asked for help to get our movement to the world mercury treaty

negotiations, we had an enormous impact at the first negotiating session

in Stockholm, Sweden (to view photos click here

<http://toxicteeth.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=27e2f2d4d51d0311acb2ec134 & i\

d=71b6f4a14b & e=572ec7f6c7>*).

We had our first opportunity to address a hundred nations at once about

our cause during our opening speech to the governmental delegates

(to watch speech click here

<http://toxicteeth.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=27e2f2d4d51d0311acb2ec134 & \

id=8e45588276 & e=572ec7f6c7>**). Our

highly talented and energetic international team of advocates and

mercury-free dentists from seven nations ran an information booth,

distributed literature, gave presentations, networked with like-minded

organizations, educated delegates, and convinced the world that it must

find a solution to the dental mercury problem:

--- The United Nations Environmental Programme officials observed that

dental amalgam drew more interest than any other single issue during the

session. As a result, substantial attention will be devoted to dental

mercury between now and the next session in January.

--- The Scandinavian nations pointedly asked the world’s nations to join

them in phasing out amalgam.

--- Leaders from four developing nations asked us to assist them in

organizing pilot programs for phasing out amalgam, a critical step

according to the UN.

--- Diplomats from the U.S. State Department and top officials from the

U.S. EPA were engaged in our message and requesting more information.

--- The leaders of the World Health Organization shifted from defending

amalgam use to outlining the steps it endorses to reduce its use.

I can’t say enough about the team we assembled in Stockholm. We were

tutored by bet Carlsson, the advocate whose work led to the Swedish

ban on amalgam. Dentist Graeme Munro-Hall of Great Britain, co-author

with his wife Lilian of /ToxicDentistry Exposed/, eloquently explained

the science supporting mercury-free dentistry. We joined forces with

the dedicated leaders of our movement in other major countries, such as

Servando Pérez-Dominguez of Spain, Marie Grosman of France, and

Kilmartin of Great Britain. The multi-lingual talents of Anita Vazquez

Tibau of California and Kathy Huddlestone of France allowed us to reach

out to even more delegates. And so many other outstanding folks stepped

in to help out.

When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed up at the Stockholm

session to protect mercury fillings, our international team was right

there to expose the flaws in the agency’s amalgam defense. Back in the

United States, FDA was already facing a grassroots outcry from the

American people and three separate petitions filed by Jim , by Bob

Reeves and Jim Love, and by emeritus University of Virginia professor

Dr. Edlich. With the Scandinavians announcing that “dental

treatment without mercury is becoming the norm†and other health

departments at least putting limits on amalgam use, FDA realized that it

is the pariah on the dental mercury issue (countries such as Sweden,

Norway, and the Netherlands have phased out amalgam; Germany and Canada

direct dentists not to use it in vulnerable populations; Japan uses it

in less than 4% of fillings; etc.). In an attempt to save face the day

before the negotiating session ended, FDA announced that it will hold

hearings in December before the next UN session to consider whether

American children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations

should be protected from dental mercury exposure.

We could not have come this far without all our grassroots activists and

supporters, both national and now international. In the words of /FDA

Webview/, your efforts have been “unprecedentedâ€: “No final rule in

FDA’s modern history, or perhaps ever, has attracted this kind of

organized opposition.†Thanks to all of you, our movement has made FDA

realize that the mercury fillings issue is not going away.

-- Charlie

G. Brown, National Counsel

Consumers for Dental Choice

316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002

Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331

charlie@... <mailto:charlie@...>,

www.toxicteeth.org

<http://toxicteeth.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=27e2f2d4d51d0311acb2ec134 & i\

d=79afed9015 & e=572ec7f6c7>

* also available at http://toxicteeth.org/World-Mercury-Treaty-Gallery/

<http://toxicteeth.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=27e2f2d4d51d0311acb2ec134 & i\

d=674cfdb7e3 & e=572ec7f6c7>

**also available at

<http://toxicteeth.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=27e2f2d4d51d0311acb2ec134 & i\

d=b90e0115ef & e=572ec7f6c7>