CDC Charged With Ethics Violations

Two Centers for Disease Control & Prevention ethics committees have received a formal complaint alleging unethical activities by the agency's director and the director of the Oral Health Division concerning the health effects of fluoride exposure. The charges were presented on Aug. 9 by Daniel G. Stockin of the Lillie Center, a private public health training firm in Ellijay, Ga. The complaint questions why CDC's own data on disproportionate harm to minority groups from ingested fluoride are not being communicated to these groups. For example, the rate of moderate-to-severe dental fluorosis in Mexican-Americans is 5%, whereas it is only 2% in whites. The complaint also alleges that the actions of Oral Health Division Director William Maas and CDC Director Julie Gerberding are "serious and egregious" in not disseminating findings of the National Research Council report on fluoride. That report concludes that kidney patients, diabetics, and infants are especially susceptible to harm from fluoride exposure, mostly from fluoridated water. Also on Aug. 9, more than 600 medical, dental, and other professionals released a statement claiming fluoridation of water supplies is ineffective and asking Congress to stop water fluoridation until hearings are conducted.