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Dental
Amalgam (Mercury) Fillings
The issue regarding the safety of mercury dental fillings represents the failure of public agencies to protect the American people from harm. It also represents the worst in political protection of corporate interests over the public good. The American Dental Association still maintains that mercury fillings are safe, though they have alerted members that some changes in regulations may be forthcoming. In an FDA hearing in September 2006, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials attempted to stand behind the safety of mercury fillings using scientific studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that were so faulty, ethics complaints were filed. In addition to misrepresenting the findings of the studies, one study used over 500 retarded Portuguese orphans under the age of eight, requiring them to sign their own "consent forms". These "consent forms" never even mentioned mercury fillings were being used and being tested for safety, and, then, after two children died, study administrators stated they had no way to find out what caused their deaths. After two days of hearings, including highly-detailed scientific evidence from anti-mercury scientists as well as excruciating testimony from many victims, the FDA's own expert panel refused to support the FDA's claims of safety. Shortly after the hearing, Consumers For Dental Choice and others sued the FDA in Federal Court for not following the law in providing the evidence of safety required to allow mercury amalgams to remain on the market. During preliminary proceedings, the FDA stated numerous times in documents presented to the Court, the agency had no idea if the mercury fillings were safe. While the case was dismissed as the Judge ruled the Court was not the appropriate venue for the lawsuit, the FDA's admission that it had no safety studies, was a major win for anti-mercury forces. Immediately after the case was dismissed, Consumers For Dental Choice sent a letter to the FDA stating in detail how six named individuals at the FDA had systematically ignored the law as well as concern for public safety in their lack of action on properly regulating mercury amalgams. The letter included a warning that if the FDA did not take appropriate action, these six named individuals would be sued individually for personal liability. The FDA, in writing, then informed Consumers for Dental Choice that new proposed regulations would be forthcoming by the end of the summer of 2007. No such proposed regulations were issued. In the meantime, outraged by the information gained from the Federal Court case, a Congressional Hearing took place in November of 2007 to bring the FDA on the carpet for failing to provide the Environmental Impact Statement which is required by law and which everyone knows would spell the end of mercury fillings. This failure to provide this statement has gone on for 25 years. Testimony from the FDA witness was so misleading that Consumers For Dental Choice has filed a formal complaint. It was then learned that the same NIH official who authorized the two faulty studies the FDA tried to use in the September 2006 FDA hearing on amalgam safety has authorized yet another study ($3 million) to an unqualified individual to prove safety. Consumers For Dental Choice filed a complaint in early December of 2007 demanding a complete investigation of the NIH official. The complaint claims this individual and others at NIH have had a history of selecting unqualified people to conduct faulty studies designed to support a pro-mercury agenda. All key documents regarding this legal fight to end the use of mercury fillings can be found on: http://www.toxicteeth.org
The Children Amalgam Trials Lies Your Dentist is Forced to Tell You Other Key Links Please note: If you have had your mercury fillings replaced for health reasons and still suffer chronic illness, we suggest you review the autism page on this web site regarding things you can do to improve your health.
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