Study Links Fluoride to Pre-term Birth and Anemia in Pregnancy

/PRNewswire/ -- Fluoride avoidance reduced anemia in pregnant women, decreased pre-term births and enhanced babies' birth-weight, concludes leading fluoride expert, AK Susheela and colleagues, in a study published in Current Science (May 2010). http://www.fluorideandfluorosis.com/Anemia/Current%20Science%20Reprint.pdf

Susheela's team explains that anemia in pregnancy, which can lead to maternal and infant mortality, continues to plague many countries despite nutritional counseling and maternal iron and folic acid supplementation. This is the first examination of fluoride as an additional risk factor for anemia and low-birth-weight babies.

Anemic pregnant women living in India, whose urine contained 1 mg/L fluoride or more, were separated into two groups. The experimental group avoided fluoride in water, food and other sources and ate a nutritious diet per instruction. The control group received no instructions. Both groups supplemented with iron and folic acid.

Results reveal that anemia was reduced and pre-term and low-birth-weight babies were considerably fewer in the fluoride-avoidance group as compared to the control. Two stillbirths occurred in the control group, none in the experimental group.

Susheela et al. writes, "Maternal and child under-nutrition and anemia is not necessarily due to insufficient food intake but because of the derangement of nutrient absorption due to damage caused to GI (gastrointestinal) mucosa by ingestion of undesired chemical substances, viz. fluoride through food, water and other sources."

Fluoride avoidance regenerated the intestinal lining which enhanced the absorption of nutrients as evidenced by the reduction in urinary fluoride followed by rise in hemoglobin levels, they report.

Could the same thing be happening in the United States? State University of New York researchers found more premature births in fluoridated than non-fluoridated upstate New York communities, according to a presentation made at the 2009 American Public Health Association's annual meeting.

Previous published research shows fluoride can interfere with the reproductive system (http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/repro).

Current Science reports that adverse reactions of fluoride consumption are known to occur including reducing red blood cells, reducing blood folic acid activity, inhibiting vitamin B12 production and the nonabsorption of nutrients for hemoglobin biosynthesis.

"Citizens must demand that water fluoridation be stopped," says attorney Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc. "It's disturbing that public-health officials and organized dentistry continue to ignore the overwhelming evidence revealing fluoride to be non-nutritive, unnecessary and unsafe," says Beeber.

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Mammography availability linked to breast cancer mortality rate

More women die of breast cancer in areas where mammography centers are few and far between, according to research by a Medical College of Georgia radiology resident.

Breast cancer mortality rates ranged from 34.1 per 100,000 women in counties with no mammography facilities to 27.5 in those with at least one, said Dr. Kandace Klein, a fourth-year radiology resident.

Drs. Klein and James Rawson, Warren professor and chair of the Department of Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Interventional Radiology, presented their findings at the recent annual conference of the Radiology Society of North America. Dr. Klein also received the society’s Trainee Research Prize for the project.

Researchers used mapping and statistical software to determine the relationship between the number of sites in a specific geographical area and the number of breast cancer deaths. While this phase of the research did not account for variables such as race, education or socioeconomic status, a noticeable pattern emerged.

“The number of sites within a county is related to the population,” Dr. Klein said. “Increasing access to a facility correlates with a decrease in mortality.”

Researchers could not account for mobile mammography units and any transfer cases, such as when a patient went to another county to receive mammography services. The next phase of the project will analyze other factors that could affect breast cancer mortality rates, she said.

Dr. Klein, a graduate of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, will complete her residency this spring and begin an MCG fellowship in body imaging.

By Jennifer Hilliard
MCG

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Lung Cancer Alliance-Georgia Hails Senate Leadership on Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lung Cancer Alliance-Georgia (LCA-GA) acknowledged Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) for their leadership and support in establishing the first ever multi-agency, comprehensive program targeted at lung cancer.

Entitled Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009, S.332 authorizes a five year program to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer which continues to be the number one cause of cancer deaths both nationally and in the state of Georgia. Lung cancer causes more deaths each year than breast, prostate, colon, kidney, melanoma and liver cancers combined.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women. Anything that can be done to increase the parity in funding for this deadly disease will be a significant advance in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality," commented Senator Chambliss. "This legislation is a strong step in the right direction."

"We must make every effort to address lung cancer comprehensively and not overlook the import of earlier detection and better disease management," said Senator Isakson. "This is how we are going to make a difference in lung cancer mortality,"

In thanking the senators for their support, LCA-GA Chair and lung cancer survivor, Ed Levitt said, "Senators Chambliss and Isakson are looked to as leaders on cancer issues and their co-sponsorships of this breakthrough legislation is very significant. We sincerely thank them and look forward to working to continue to improve lung cancer outcomes in Georgia and beyond."

The bill requires the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense and Veterans Affairs to combine forces on a comprehensive, coordinated plan of action with funding authorized for five years to accomplish the mortality reduction goal.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is required to review its funding priorities in order to meet the lung cancer mortality reduction goal and more national institutes are called on directly to take part, including the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Institute for Environmental Health

To ensure accountability, the bill requires an annual report to Congress and creates an oversight board composed of the three Cabinet Secretaries and representatives from the fields of lung cancer treatment, research and advocacy.

In addition, the bill directs the Secretaries of Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans' Affairs (VA) to implement an early detection and disease management program for military personnel who are at high risk for lung cancer because of smoking or exposure to carcinogens during active duty.

The bill also:
-- Authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create a new Lung
Cancer Mortality Reduction drug program with incentives for new
treatments, targeted therapies, vaccines and chemoprevention drugs for
precancerous conditions.
-- Requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out
an early disease research program targeted at the high incidence and
mortality rates among minority and low-income populations.


The bill includes specific authorizations of $75,000,000 for certain NIH agencies in FY10 and authorizes such additional sums as may be necessary for all the cited agencies to accomplish the goal for FY 2010 through FY2014.

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