Pro-Fluoride Lobby Threatens to Submit Fraudulent Advertising Complaints in Effort to Conceal Indisputable Facts About Water Fluoridation
Proponents of the Government’s proposed legislation mandating nationwide fluoridation in NZ, have threatened to submit complaints to the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in an unethical strategic effort to keep any ads that question or raise legitimate concerns about fluoridation from airing on television and informing the public.
On Thursday, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported that “several groups are preparing formal complaints” to the ASA regarding two Fluoride Free NZ ads that have been airing on NZ TV:
RNZ interviewed Peter Griffin, a spokesperson who has no scientific qualifications (his degree is in creative writing), from the pro-fluoridation Science Media Centre. Griffin was unable to point to a single inaccuracy in either of the advertisements, and instead used the interview to slander fluoridation opponents, including fluoride expert and retired-chemistry professor Paul Connett, PhD. In fact, Griffin agreed with the main points made in the ads; that fluoridation chemicals are waste products that contain contaminants, and that there are non-fluoridated countries that have better dental health than fluoridated countries, including NZ.
Despite the pro-fluoride lobby’s inability to substantiate their claims, no attempt was made prior to the RNZ interview to seek input from citizens, scientists, or medical professionals opposed to fluoridation, despite requests over the phone from members of Fluoride Free NZ before the fluoridation interview was conducted.
“It is astonishing that RNZ refused to allow our view point to be heard when the whole interview was precisely about our TV adverts,” said Fluoride Free NZ spokesperson Don Church. “I doubt they would do that if it was complaints about ads from a big company.”
“If RNZ had contacted us, we could have informed listeners that the NZ Advertising Standards Authority has already rejected a complaint outright about one of the adverts. Also, both adverts were scrutinised by the Television Commercials Advertising Board who found the adverts were perfectly acceptable,” said Mr Church.
Griffin’s lack of legitimate complaints specific to the ads makes it clear that the formal ASA complaints will likely be fraudulent and intended only to create an obstacle for opponents of fluoridation, and to pressure media outlets about running similar ads in the future, as Griffin admitted.
“The pro-fluoride lobby is using political influence, deep pockets, media manipulation, and every possible roadblock to keep citizens from exposing these indisputable facts about fluoridation. The Government’s mandatory fluoridation proposal is an attempt to ensure fluoridation cannot be stopped by any Council and that the majority of councils that currently do not fluoridate will be forced to do so. Proponents, such as those complaining about the advertising, also want to stifle debate, as they do not want the public to hear the facts about water fluoridation,” said Mr Church.
Pro-fluoridation lobbying groups have submitted similar complaints in the past that have been rejected by the ASA, such as a number of complaints against advertorials published in Thames newspapers. Any complaints made against the two TV ads would be fraudulent, considering that the six major facts stated in the ads have gone undisputed and are literally indisputable.
THE 6 INDISPUTABLE FACTS FEATURED IN ADS:
1. HFSA, commonly known as “fluoride”, is a waste product from the phosphate fertiliser industry.
http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/production/1C.pdf
http://fluoridefree.org.nz/where-do-fluoridation-chemicals-come-from/
http://fluoridealert.org/issues/water/fluoridation-chemicals/
2. This fluoride chemical also contains traces of lead, aluminium, arsenic, mercury, and sometimes uranium.
http://fluoridefree.org.nz/fluoridation-chemical-analysis/
3. It is banned from being released into lakes, sea, air and rivers because it is toxic to animals and the environment.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=10976361
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/pollution-control-stacks
4. 4% of the world fluoridates.
http://fluoridealert.org/content/bfs-2012/
5. 98% of Europeans do not have fluoridated water and their teeth are just as good, or better.
http://fluoridealert.org/content/water_europe/
http://fluoridealert.org/studies/caries01/
6. Scotland’s Childsmile program saves millions of dollars and is giving Scottish kids better teeth than NZ kids.
http://fluoridefree.org.nz/non-fluoridated-countries-better-teeth-fluoridated-nz/
ENDS