MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate use
13 April 2016
Government proposal on fluoridation decision-making hailed by senior doctors
“The Government is to be commended for its excellent decision to let district health boards, rather than councils,
decide on fluoridation of local water supplies,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried
Medical Specialists (ASMS).
He was commenting on proposed changes announced by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Peter
Dunne:https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/fluoridation-decision-move-dhbs-0.
“This is a good, pragmatic move on the Government’s part,” says Mr Powell.
“Dental and public health specialists have to deal with the consequences of a lack of fluoridation every day, and
deciding whether to fluoridate the water should rightly be seen as a health decision that falls within the scope of the
DHBs.
“They employ people with the clinical expertise and training to take a lead on this issue.”
ENDS