ON FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER

Many readers of this journal who do research on fluoride and/or live in countries that do not fluoridate their drinking water probably cannot begin to understand the frustration of scientists who are opposed to this measure but live in countries that practice it. It is incredibly frustrating because, for over 50 years, it has proved virtually impossible in fluoridated countries to get this issue arbitrated by an independent scientific body without interference from government agencies, who appear more eager to protect their policy than to engage in an honest scientific examination of the evidence. August 12, 2003, however, may have been a turning point in the United States for the beginning of a genuine examination of this controversial policy. On that day, a new Subcommittee on Fluoride in Drinking Water of the United States National Research Council (NRC) held its first public hearing to review the drinking water standard for fluoride at the request of the U