The FDA plans to begin removing ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market later this year.
Seven notes:
1. The HHS Department said May 13 that ingested fluoride has been shown to alter the gut microbiome, adding that fluoride has been linked to thyroid disorders, weight gain and possibly decreased IQ.
2. The department also said these products were never approved by the FDA.
3. The FDA plans to conduct a safety review and public comment period before taking action to remove these products from the market, ultimately setting a goal date of Oct. 31 for completion of these actions.
4. The HHS Department added that it plans to release best practices for dental hygiene in children that are “feasible, effective and do not alter gut health.”
5. This is the latest action against fluoride since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became HHS secretary in February and took issue with the mineral, despite pushback from medical and dental organizations that have backed the use of fluoride as a critical public health measure.
6. Mr. Kennedy celebrated anti-fluoride measures during his April “Make America Healthy Again” tour, during which he also said he would advise the CDC to stop recommending adding fluoride to public water supplies.
7. RFK Jr. took issue with the use of fluoride once more during an April 30 cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, during which he reportedly said fluoride made kids “stupider,” and said he plans to scale back the amount of fluoride in the country’s drinking water.