Breakthrough at FDA - hearings on mercury toxicity from amalgam!!

            In a dramatic break from its policy of protecting
pro-mercury dentistry, FDA has announced it will hold public hearings
about "potential mercury toxicity" from amalgam, especially its
"neurotoxicity."  In addition, FDA has at last begun to pry control
of this issue away from the American Dental Association -- a
neurology-based advisory committee has been added to hear the evidence
on neurotoxicity.  FDA's announcement:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/advisory/accalendar/2006/cdrh12518dd09060706.html

           Until now, as you probably know, FDA has been the silent
partner to the American Dental Association in protecting (even
promoting) mercury fillings.  Disregarding the science and operating in
secret, FDA said amalgam's mercury caused only "allergies," while
it wrongly gave control of the process to ADA dentists (plainly
unqualified -- and conflicted as well).  But thanks to the involvement
of two high-ranking officials -- Associate Commissioner Randall Lutter
and Associate Commissioner Jason Brodsky -- this may change.  These two
Associate Commissioners met with us last fall, agreed to take up the
issue more seriously, and, I guess, read my barrage of letters.  So
here's the good news:

FDA has opened its doors for two days of public hearings, in
Gaithersburg, Md. (a Washington suburb) on Sept. 6 and 7.
FDA will conduct an inquiry into the "potential mercury toxicity"
from dental amalgam, "specifically as it relates to neurotoxic
effects."
The emerging issue becomes not filling teeth but harm to developing
brains of children, to unborn babies, and to all of us.

           What you can do:  Write and thank Associate Commissioner
Randall Lutter, RLutter@oc.fda.gov, and Associate Commissioner Jason
Brodsky, JBrodsky@oc.fda.gov; ask them to keep the focus on mercury
toxicity, and to remove dentists from being in charge of regulating
mercury fillings.

           The breakthrough is historic, to be sure.  But let's not
be naïve ... hearings can presage action ... or be a classic
Washington stall tactic.  To date, FDA has not changed its official
position on amalgam -- no classifying, no pre-market approval, no
warnings to pregnant women and children, no disclosure of the mercury.
While we praise these FDA officials for introducing the mercury
toxicity issue, Consumers for Dental Choice must still consider a
challenge to FDA's regulation of amalgam.

           Still, we must celebrate.  By opening up the mercury
toxicity issue, it will be hard for FDA to put that genie back into the
bottle.  For the two-day hearing in September, we must make an
unimpeachable scientific record, bring in substantial public
participation, and encourage widespread press and Congressional
attention.

Charlie, 4/5/06

Charles G. Brown, National Counsel

Consumers for Dental Choice

1725 K St., N.W., Suite 511, Washington, DC 20006

Ph. 202.822-6307; fax 822-6309

charlie@toxicteeth.org, http://www.toxicteeth.org/