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Public hearing on the preliminary opinion concerning Fluoridation of Drinking Water

Fluoride is not considered to be essential for human growth and development but it is considered to be beneficial in the prevention of dental caries (tooth decay). Public concerns about water fluoridation which may lead to excessive intake of fluoride and may be associated with a number of negative health effects, prompted the Commission to seek the advice of its Scientific Committee on Health and Environment Risks. 

On 17 September 2010, the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) of the European Commission will be organising in Brussels a hearing on the pre-consultation opinion concerning the hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and the fluoridating agents in drinking water. The registration for the hearing is now open at:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/events/ev_20100917_en.htm

The planned hearing aims to complement the internet consultation (launched on 18 June 2010) and to provide stakeholders and the public with an opportunity to present to the SCHER Working Group experts scientific evidence and argumentation on the subject of the opinion. The web page for the consultation may be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consultations/public_consultations/scher_cons_05_en.htm

The deadline for submission of comments is 15 September 2010.