Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary, announced plans to urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cease recommending fluoridation in public water systems across the country. Kennedy shared these intentions after a news conference with Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator, in Salt Lake City. In his statement, Kennedy emphasized that he was in the process of assembling a task force dedicated to investigating the issue of fluoride in drinking water, indicating his commitment to revisiting longstanding public health practices.
Fluoridation, the practice of adding fluoride to public water supplies, has been widely adopted for decades, with the aim of preventing tooth decay. However, Kennedy’s new stance highlights growing concerns about the potential health risks of long-term fluoride exposure, which he plans to explore further with a dedicated team.
Additionally, on Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would begin reviewing new scientific data regarding the potential health risks associated with fluoride in drinking water. While the EPA holds primary authority over setting the maximum allowable levels of fluoride in public water systems, Kennedy’s efforts will complement their ongoing review. Though he cannot directly mandate communities to stop fluoridation, Kennedy intends to influence federal recommendations by pushing the CDC to halt its endorsement of the practice.
Moreover, Kennedy intends to collaborate with the EPA to potentially revise the current standards for fluoride levels in water, bringing additional scrutiny to the balance between public health benefits and possible risks.
