133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
9 May 2025
Erika Whittome
By email: [FYI request #30696 email]
Ref:
H2025065288
Tēnā koe Erika
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 12 April 2025 for information regarding the US report
on community water fluoridation (CWF) in August 2024. You requested:
1. Please share the review conducted of this August 2024 report. 2. Please share any subsequent reviews since August 2024 of scientific evidence for and
against fluoride as per section 116C of (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act
2021
The Ministry has considered key recent publications on community water fluoridation including
the US National Toxicology Program Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning
Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognition: A Systematic Review, published in
August 2024. The Ministry does not consider that this alters the conclusions relating to the
safety and effectiveness of community water fluoridation.
You can find the Ministry’s consideration of this and other recent publications at:
www.health.govt.nz/information-releases/director-general-of-health-consideration-of-community-
water-fluoridation-under-the-new-zealand-bill. Your request is therefore refused under section
18(d) of the Act, as the information you have requested is publicly available.
I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with
us, including this decision, please feel free to contact the OIA Services Team on:
[email address].
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by cal ing 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Jane Chambers
Group Manager, Public Health Policy and Regulation Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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