Dr. William Hirzy, a former risk assessment scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency, explains why EPA Headquarters Union of Scientists and Professionals oppose fluoridation. This letter, written in March 2013, was sent to Clean Water Portland — a group that led a resoundingly successful effort to prevent the fluoridation of Portland, Oregon’s water supply.
In 1997 the EPA HQ scientists’ union voted to oppose water fluoridation.
My name is William Hirzy. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Missouri. I’ve been involved in environmental and human health risk assessment for 35 years, in the chemical industry, then at EPA HQ as senior risk assessment scientist.
Since 1986, at EPA as a union officer, I’ve studied and followed the developing science on fluoride toxicity. I currently teach at American University.
Human breast milk contains 100 to 200 times less fluoride than fluoridated water.
By far, the best study ever undertaken of the efficacy of fluoridation as a dental cavities preventative was done by the U.S. National Institute of Dental Research. That study, published in 1990, failed to show a statistically significant reduction in cavity rates among 39,000 U.S. teenagers between those having fluoridated water and those not having it. The authors claimed an 18% reduction in cavities due to fluoridation, but were unable to show statistical significance – the hallmark of a conclusive epidemiology study.
The CDC now admits that fluoride’s effect on dental health is primarily after permanent teeth are in and exposed to fluoride on their surfaces. There is no need to swallow fluoride to experience this effect.
A recent peer reviewed study from Harvard shows that the higher exposure to fluoride that children get, the lower are their IQ’s. Even if drinking fluoride were to have a tiny, statistically insignificant effect on cavity formation, how many of your children’s IQ points are you willing to sacrifice for that slight hope?
Another recent peer reviewed study, using EPA risk and cost data, shows that the fluoridation chemical, hydrofluorosilicic acid, contains enough arsenic to be causing U.S. society to spend at least $1 billion per year treating lung and bladder cancer caused by the resulting added arsenic in fluoridated drinking water.
J. William Hirzy, Ph.D.
Chemist-In-Residence
American University
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