Each year the New Zealand Skeptics bestows the Bent Spoon Award for the New Zealand organisation which has shown the most egregious gullibility or lack of critical thinking in public coverage of, or commentary on, a science-related issue. The 2013 Bent Spoon Award is awarded to the Hamilton City Council. For ignoring the decision of [...]
On our Facebook page, we posted about Roger Stratford who is running for Hamilton City Council, that tried to silence the science. Here is everything that happened. If you missed the Stuff news story, you can read about it here. Dr Ken Perrott wrote a story on this, showing screenshots of the discussions and how [...]
What does the NZ Dental Council say about water fluoridation? Are oral health practitioners allow to say misinformation about water fluoridation? "Dental Council is aware that various oral health practitioners have been requested to make submissions or provide advice to the councils on this matter. Recent survey results published by the New Zealand Dental Association [...]
Hamilton City Council's fluoridation leaflet has shown to have a number of errors on it. HCC should never be allowed to send out misinformation. They are ignoring our health experts and listening to anti-fluoride groups. Press articles: http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago051908.html http://www.3news.co.nz/Dentists-irked-by-wrong-flouride-advice/tabid/423/articleID/308748/Default.aspx http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/9035474/Wrong-unscientific-Dentists-slam-HCCs-anti-fluoride-pamphlet http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/dental-experts-call-council-leaflet-retraction/5/164228
Waikato DHB video showing a summary of their answers from the Hamilton fluoride tribunal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmQxhKnUYeo Speakers listed chronologically (thanks to Andrew Sparrow): Dr. Robyn Haisman (RH), Chief Dental Officer, Ministry of Health Dr. Felicity Dumble (FD), Medical Officer of Health, Waikato DHB Jill Dibble (JD), Group Manager Rural and Community Services, Waikato DHB Dr. [...]
Be careful when reading into anti-fluoridation groups like FAN, FANNZ, Fluoride Free, NYSCOF, Fluoridation.com, NoFluoride.com, etc. "The anti-fluoridation movement employs classic propaganda methods, such as misrepresentation, fear mongering, false analogies and outright lies to further their political goals." The Anti-fluoridationist Threat To Public Health: http://www.scienceinmedicine.org/policy/papers/AntiFluoridationist.pdf Here is another great resource. When public action undermines public [...]
Comparison of mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (D.M.F.T) of Year 8/Form 2 children nationwide, with fluoridated and non-fluoridated water supplies, from 2000 to 2011. Data from Ministry of Health. Thanks to Andrew Sparrow for creating this graph. Source: http://www.health.govt.nz/nz-health-statistics/health-statistics-and-data-sets/oral-health-data-and-stats/age-5-and-year-8-oral-health-data-school-dental-services