Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waded into another scientific debate on Saturday by saying Donald Trump’s administration would advise fluoride be removed from the country’s water supplies if the former president wins Tuesday’s presidential election.
“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,” Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate, wrote in a social media post.
Trump has suggested Kennedy, who was an environmental lawyer before entering politics, would oversee a health portfolio in his next administration.
What is fluoride: Fluoride is found naturally in the environment in water and rocks, as well as in some foods. The mineral can also be a byproduct of some industry, according to the CDC.
Why is fluoride controversial: A federal judge in September ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to take additional measures to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of a possible risk higher levels of the mineral could affect children’s intellectual development.
US District Judge Edward Chen ruled while it is not clear whether the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing a drop in IQ in kids, there’s enough risk to warrant investigation and the EPA needs to take further action in regulating it. The ruling did not state what actions the EPA needs to take and the agency is currently reviewing the decision.
