Headline Roundup • September 26th, 2024
Judge Orders EPA to Regulate Fluoride in Tap Water Due to IQ Risks
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Federal Judge Edward Chen called on the EPA to address risks associated with fluoridated drinking water this week, saying there is "ample" science suggesting the U.S. population is at "unreasonable risk" of losing IQ points.
For Context: "Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Roughly 75% of Americans drink water with fluoride in it. Much of the debate around fluoride lies in the recommended levels. According to a doctor with McGill's Office for Science and Society, "Talks of fluoride toxicity often overlook that it is the dose that makes the poison."
The Science: The National Institutes of Health cites studies showing positive dental effects of water fluoridated to recommended levels for children. In August, a Department of Health and Human Services program linked higher levels of fluoride exposure to lower IQs in kids. In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics said it's "continuing to recommend fluoride for caries prevention while expressing concerns about the validity" of the report. Chen said his ruling “does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to public health,” but that the EPA cannot ignore the risk.
How the Media Covered It: Fox News (Right bias) slanted its article toward the anti-fluoride perspective by leading with critical quotes from Chen. Vice (Left) downplayed the risks, leading with Chen's quote about not concluding with certainty that fluoridated water is harmful.
Featured Coverage of this Story
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A federal judge has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the potential impacts of fluoride in drinking water on IQ levels.
In a new ruling this week, Obama-appointed Judge Edward Chen ordered the EPA to take regulatory action over the issue.
Chen wrote that “a preponderance of the evidence” shows that there is an “unreasonable risk” stemming from fluoride in drinking water.
Photo by photothek de/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
A California federal court ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday regarding fluoride levels in American drinking water. The ruling orders officials to address the potentially hazardous risks of these recommended levels.
District Court Judge Edward Chen, an appointee of former President Obama, clarified that his ruling “does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to public health.” However, he found enough evidence of its potential risks to force them to do something.
“In all, there is substantial and scientifically credible evidence establishing that fluoride poses a...
Fox News Digital
It has been added to municipal water for decades, but a federal judge in California has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to further regulate fluoride because high levels could pose "an unreasonable risk" to the intellectual development of children. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled Tuesday that the scientific evidence of fluoride’s health risks when ingested at current prescribed levels requires stricter regulation under the 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The act provides a legal pathway for citizens to petition the EPA to consider whether an industrial chemical...
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