Public Consultation on 'working mandate' and call for the submission of new (after 2005) information or data on the hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and information and data on the health risks that may be associated with the use of most common drinking water fluoridation agents like silicofluorides (e.g. (hydro)fluorosilicic acid, sodium silicofluoride).

The European Commission Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General have requested the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) to critically review any information that has become available in the public domain since 2005 on the hazard profile and epidemiological evidence of adverse and/or beneficial health effects of fluoride and to assess the health risks that may be associated with the use of silicofluorides acid in drinking water fluoridation.

In line to its procedures for stakeholder dialogue published on 15 September 2007 that are being implemented on a pilot basis for a period of one year, the European Commission's Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General is publishing the 'working' mandate to public consultation and is issuing a call for information.

'Working mandate'
While no one doubts the beneficial effects of fluoride, a body of scientific literature seems to suggest that excessive intake of fluoride may be associated with a number of negative health effects. Consequently, the practice of intentional water fluoridation has been put in question in some parts of the European Union and USA.
The Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General will welcome comments on the working mandate submitted with a view to ensure a high added value for the completeness and clarity of the questions. The working mandate for this request can be found here.

Comments on the working mandate should be submitted by 8 April 2009 in line with the conditions set out in the Stakeholder Dialogue Procedure document.


Call for information
Interested parties are invited to submit:

1) Scientific peer reviewed research papers, reviews and reports (later than 2004) on hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and hydrofluorosilicid acid used in drinking water fluoridation.

2) Scientific peer reviewed research papers, reviews and reports on hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to silicofluorides e.g. ((hydro)fluorosilicic acid, sodium silicofluoride, disodium hexafluorosilicate or hexafluorosilicic acid) used in drinking water fluoridation.

3) Other credible scientific information that may not be easily available and which is directly relevant to this issue.

Deadline for submission of information: 26 April 2009


All information is considered public unless otherwise stated by the provider. Guidelines for the submission of contributions, containing criteria for the call for information and guidance for submission can be found here and in the Stakeholder Dialogue Document.

Please put the full body of your contribution as an attachment to the electronic message.

Please include your details, organization and e-mail address in the text of the message and specify "SCHER: Fluoridation - Call for Information" in the subject line of your e-mail.

Contributions should be sent to the following mailbox: Sanco-Sc8-Secretariat@ec.europa.eu

More information on the European Commission non food Scientific Committees can be found here.