Nations Move Closer to the Phase-Out of Dental Amalgam!
Dear Friends,
At the Minamata Convention on Mercury’s assemblage of the 140 nations in Geneva last week, the governments heeded our entreaties – taking three giant leaps to advance the world toward mercury-free dentistry:
- For the first time, the treaty recognizes that contrary to our pro-mercury opponents’ claims, countries can phase out amalgam – and more and more have already succeeded!
- The nations amended the treaty to add a new requirement: those countries that have “not yet phased out dental amalgam” must submit an action plan or a report on progress they are making to phase down or phase out this toxic product. A similar requirement in the European Union in 2017 led many EU countries to support an amalgam phase-out by 2030 – and we believe this requirement will motivate countries on other continents to act boldly too!
- Most exciting of all, the nations decided to agendize for their next meeting a debate and a vote on whether to phase out amalgam by a date certain!
Because of supporters like you, we brought experts in dentistry, law, journalism, engineering, and environmentalism from around the world to fight for mercury-free dentistry at these treaty talks. I was given the honor to lead this team as we again outworked, outsmarted, and outpointed the pro-mercury American Dental Association and the World Dental Federation. As I explained in our opening statement on 30 October…
No consumer demand exists for amalgam, none. Today, dental amalgam is forced onto consumers given no choice by uncaring government bureaucracies and multinational insurance companies…Dental amalgam is an unnecessary public health disaster, an unnecessary mercury poisoning of the fish that children eat, an unnecessary workplace hazard for young women dental workers…Today’s alternatives are technically superior and cost-effective…Amalgam-free dentistry works!
Now we are preparing a strategy to convince the countries of the Minamata Convention, at their next meeting in two years, to adopt an amendment phasing out amalgam. We are committed to winning!
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