ADA Cements Its Influence on CDC Fluoride Policy

AN Bulletin 1091: ADA tightens its stranglehold on the CDC
 
Sept 8, 2009,
Any notion that the CDC could reach a position on fluoridation independent of the ADA was flushed down the toilet yesterday, when the name of the new director of the Oral Health Division at the CDC was announced a few days ago. As of September 8, it will be Dr. William G. Kohn.
According to the ADA's online newsletter (posted Sept 3, 2009):
"Dr. Kohn has played a lead role in the development of CDC recommendation documents on fluoride use, dental office infection control and dental sealants. He serves as CDC liaison to ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs and is on the Journal of the ADA (JADA) editorial board...During a 13-year tenure with the (Oral Health) division, Dr. Kohn has been associate director for science since 1997.
Thus the tweedledum - tweedledee relationship between the ADA and the CDC on fluoridation is set to continue unabated.
Whatever the ADA wants today the CDC will deliver tomorrow - at taxpayers' expense. For example, on the day that the NRC released its groundbreaking review of Fluoride in Drinking Water, the ADA said it was not relevant to water fluoridation, six days later (obeying the signal from Chicago) the CDC said that the NRC review was "consistent" with their promotion of fluoridation. Neither was correct. Both are putting their interests in protecting their policy at all costs above the health of the American people.
To hell with science, to hell with integrity, to hell with our children's brains, bones and other organs, whatever Lulu wants Lulu gets, because Lulu has the power, and the prestige and the money.
Speaking of money, this is how much money the ADA raised in 2007: $111.1 million, according to IRS forms. The ADA has 157,000 members. 
From an article in the National Journal entitled "Under the Influence," Beth Sussman provides the following figures of how how much the ADA is spending in Washington where it maintains an office employing 20 people:
"The ADA spent $1.5 million on all lobbying activities in the first half of 2009, according to lobbying disclosure forms... In the first half of 2008, the ADA spent about $710,000 on all lobbying activities.
The ADA's PAC and individuals associated with the group have donated $530,800 to federal candidates and political parties during the 2010 election cycle and donated $2.1 million during the 2008 election cycle. This cycle, 60 percent of the donations have gone to Democrats and 40 percent to Republicans, while 54 percent of the donations went to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans in the 2008 cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics." http://www2.fluoridealert.org/Alert/United-States/National/Health-Care-Players-American-Dental-Association
Please write to your Congressperson again and ask him or her if they have been able to resist this lobbying power of the ADA? Can they PLEASE get a US Congressional Hearing on this. We need key players at the CDC, FDA and EPA to testify under oath about hat they are doing or not doing to protevt the health of the Amerian people from this foolish practice.

• SEE ALL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ADA TO US CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES in 2008 at OpenSecrets.org
• SEE ALSO THE ADA'S PRESS RELEASE CONGRATULATING CONGRESSMAN MIKE SIMPSON (R-ID) for sponsoring -- and the House of Representatives for passing -- a resolution on May 12, 2009, congratulating the ADA on its 150th anniversary. Simpson received $10,250 from the ADA in 2008.
Paul Connett