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Mercury fillings in the news:

11/05/11

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES POSITION ON MERCURY FILLINGS

WASHINGTON, DC, [Oct. 23, 2011]—For the first time in history, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) is evaluating international regulations that would ban mercury-containing products including silver/amalgam dental fillings, which contain 50% mercury and are already in the mouths of more than 122 million Americans.

The DOS will present their official position on the use of mercury in amalgam fillings and other medical devices at a stakeholder meeting on Monday, October 24th, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the DOS headquarters at 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Injured consumers and members of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) will attend the meeting to encourage a ban on mercury/silver dental amalgam fillings.

The U.S. government’s monumental decision about mercury fillings is being made in preparation for the third session of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC3), scheduled for later this month in Nairobi, Kenya. The committee was created with the specific purpose of developing a global, legally-binding instrument on mercury due to its significant negative effect on human health and the environment.

Mercury, a potent neurotoxin used in dental amalgam fillings, can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous system, and is particularly harmful to the fetus and young children. Substantial, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence proving these dangers is documented in IAOMT’s Petition for Reconsideration, which was filed with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009.

The hazards of mercury fillings have also been addressed by other international groups. In 1991, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that dental amalgam is “the greatest source of mercury exposure for the general population, exceeding those from food and air.”

In the United States, President Obama has recognized the hazards of mercury since 2008, and he emphasized the need to protect children from being exposed to mercury in his September 8, 2011 speech to Congress.

Yet, no actions to defend the American public from the known risks of mercury/silver dental fillings have been taken, although a recent submission by the U.S. to UNEP’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee supports “further consideration of dental amalgam by the INC…with the goal of potential or gradual phasedown of dental amalgam and ongoing research for affordable, viable alternatives.”

Such a position is unacceptable to Dr. David Kennedy, past president of IAOMT, who explains, “Using the excuse of alternative materials to further delay protecting the public is illogical because safe alternatives to mercury fillings have already been used for more than 20 years.”

Leo Cashman, executive director and volunteer for the non-profit, consumer advocacy group Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS), agrees: “Dental amalgam is not viable when the costs of mercury poisoning to the individual, to families, and to the healthcare industry are considered.”

Dr. David Simone, a Chicago-based biological dentist who will represent IAOMT at the DOS meeting, reiterates, “The current draft text of the INC treaty could allow dental mercury amalgam fillings, known to cause harm, to be placed in all populations for at least another 20 years. The proposed ‘phase down’ wouldn’t actually begin until 2020, or more likely 2030, and people need to be protected from mercury now.”

Freya Koss, President of the PA Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis after having an old mercury amalgam filling drilled out and replaced with a new one, and she will be at the meeting to insure that the DOS keeps mercury fillings in a proposed ban portion of the INC treaty.

Marie Flowers, President of Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS), experienced neurological symptoms following the removal of a mercury amalgam filling and will likewise be at the DOS meeting on Monday. Flowers has commented, “The U.S. lags behind countries such as Sweden, who initiated a mercury phase out in 1987, followed by Denmark and Norway, who banned dental mercury amalgam in 2009.

Nashville’s Fox 17 anchor Stacy Case told her personal story of mercury poisoning to the FDA at a recent Town Meeting in San Francisco: “I had four amalgams unsafely removed and replaced with four shiny mercury fillings, and I got out of bed one day and couldn’t walk.” However, Case recovered from her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis after her fillings were safely removed. Her message to the U.S. government is clear: “Use your power and position for good. Please right this wrong!”

IAOMT and other groups are strongly urging the DOS to support the position of the U.S. Government as stated in February 2009 by Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, who announced, “Mercury poses a serious threat to public health in communities around the world…The United States will play a leading role in working with other nations to craft a global, legally binding agreement that will prevent the spread of mercury into the environment and improve the health of workers, pregnant women, and children throughout the world.”

Monday’s DOS meeting about the U.S. position on the INC treaty will set the international stage for the future of mercury in dentistry, which many hope will be the end of drilling a potent neurotoxin into the mouths of an unsuspecting international public.

U.S. State Department decision on mercury fillings:

11/05/11

Mercury vapor outgassing from amalgam fillings

As usual when the government is involved, you can expect a paradoxical response. In this case, the government agreed that there are issues with mercury in dental amalgam fillings, and recommended a “Phase down” in their usage. What that means is anyone’s guess.

Our position at New Health Dental is that mercury has no place in the human body, and there are better and healthier alternatives for our patients. We have not placed an amalgam filling in over 25 years, and will never do so. We also follow strict amalgam removal protocols to minimize exposure to mercury when removing amalgam fillings.

So a step in the right direction, but just a baby one for now. In the meantime, our office will continue to be mercury-safe. Your health and ours is what’s most important.

Continue to read below the report from the U.S. State Department.

Dr. Fritz
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 9:55am

FINAL REPORT FROM DOS MERCURY STAKEHOLDER MEETING 10/24/11

Presented by Freya Koss

On Monday, October 24, 2011, the State Department held the second of two “Mercury NGO Stakeholder Meetings” in Washington, D.C. The meetings were held in preparation for the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare a globally legally-binding instrument on mercury (INC3), which will be held by the United Nations Environmental Programme in Nairobi, Kenya from October 31-November 4.

Presiding over this U.S. Department of State (DOS) meeting was Dr. John Thompson, Deputy Special Representative for Global Partnerships, assisted by Daniel Reifsnyder, Department Assistant Secretary.

Dr. Thompson delivered the DOS decision, and it was simple and direct: Dental amalgam fillings containing approximately 50% mercury will remain in Annex C of the UNEP Intergovernmental Committee (INC) Treaty. This decision means that dental amalgam fillings will be “PHASED DOWN,” not PHASED OUT.

He also noted that the DOS was appreciative of the views and input presented by attendees at the Stakeholder meetings and that the decision to keep amalgam in Annex C was in part based on listening to Stakeholders at previous meetings, as well as the documentation provided.

I have always sensed respect and appreciation for our assistance from Dr. Thompson, Deputy Secretary Reifsndyer, and Andrew Clark, administrator, DOS, Office of Environmental Policy, who has been my contact person.

After the DOS announcement that vaccines were not included in Annex C but amalgams were, a representative I believe was from Dentsply’s materials division questioned:

“What is the difference between dental amalgam and vaccines? (The individual was clearly upset by the decision to include amalgams in Annex C, and was concerned as to why would amalgams be considered more dangerous than vaccines.)

Dr. Thompson’s response was, “There is enough evidence about ‘this issue to phase it down.’ By that, we don’t mean ‘phase out.’” (The referral to “this issue” was mercury silver amalgam dental fillings.)

The DOS could always use the environmental pollution reasoning for keeping amalgam in Annex C, but the health issues have been considered in their meetings as well. It is known that Sweden, Denmark, and Norway paved the path for abolishing mercury amalgams based on the environmental hazards. Yet, in Sweden, peer-reviewed studies have shown that amalgam removal has improved health, including many autoimmune diseases, as well as reducing the cost to the government for healthcare and disability since amalgams were banned.

When I asked Dr. Thompson to explain the meaning of “phase down,” he said it would be a slow process and didn’t have any idea how long it would take. He also explained that there are difficulties in getting all of the countries to agree and facilitate the phase down, and these deliberations are what happens when negotiating Treaties of this sort.

I expressed my concern about the timeline because of the thousands of people who will continually be harmed, noting the scientific evidence of harm. I reiterated Charlie Brown’s input about safe alternatives, specifically the ART technique, as well as the issue of insurance not covering white alternative fillings, which Charlie also addressed. I shared my own experience when my dentist offered me a “white filling” or “silver filling,” and that when I asked him what the difference was, he said, “Insurance covers the silver one.”

Regarding environmental precautions, Dr. Thompson emphasized the need for amalgam separators in all dental offices and the need to follow safe practices of disposal of amalgam in the dental office.

Dr. Thompson further explained that it was necessary to educate the public and do research. I questioned the necessity for research when the scientific documentation has already proven that mercury fillings are a hazard to health and the environment. He responded by saying that the research would ostensibly be about how to facilitate the phase down for the entire world, and that they had no control of that element of the phase down. I felt that his answer was sincere!

The reason given for not including vaccines in Annex C was based on the need to prevent childhood illnesses, especially in developing countries. Further, DOS stated that there was insufficient evidence of harm from vaccines. They relied on studies by CDC and other academic institutions. In addition, they said that Thimerosal in vaccines was not causing environmental pollution.

Pro-vaccine attendees said that vaccines save the lives of millions of children in developing countries, and without them, it would be a disastrous situation. As such, they hoped to substantially increase the volume of vaccines to these countries. They kept saying that there was no scientific proof that autism or any childhood diseases resulted from mercury containing vaccines.

Following the meeting Stacy Case had arranged for Sinclair Broadcasting to interview us.

The station aired a four part series on Stacy’s recovery from MS after her fillings were removed safely by Aida Frazier, an IAOMT member.

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