Alison Campbell • Sep 12, 2018 •
Dear Rethink Fluoride, Since you’ve blocked me from commenting on your page (and on this post, in particular), this seems the best way to respond to you. After all, at least some of you do follow Sciblogs. I have to say that preventing someone from commenting is particularly rich coming from a group who claim that they want to have … Read More
Ken Perrott • May 30, 2018 •
A group of well-known anti-fluoride activists have just published some new research. Well, this is what their social media publicity will tell us. In fact, this is not new research. It is simply the republication of a shonky paper from two years ago as a chapter in a book produced by a predatory open access publisher. It is a clear example … Read More
Ken Perrott • May 09, 2018 •
A new high-quality study of the effect of fluoride on the memory and learning behaviour of rats has produced definitive results. Anti-fluoride campaigners had great hopes this study would bring an end to community water fluoridation (CWF) – but their hopes have been dashed. The study showed no effect of fluoride on the memory, learning and motor skills of rats thus reinforcing the consensus … Read More
Ken Perrott • Mar 06, 2018 •
Anti-fluoride campaigners are misrepresenting a recent Mexican study claiming its findings should cause governments around the world to abandon community water fluoridation (CWF). Their claims are unwarranted because the study has a high degree of uncertainty. Activists are misrepresenting the accuracy of the studies findings. Because Mexico has areas of endemic fluorosis the study itself is not relevant to CWF. Read More
Ken Perrott • Feb 28, 2018 •
We have all sat through boring, and counterproductive, PowerPoint presentations. Boring because the presenter breaks all the rule relevant to the preparation of visual displays. And counterproductive because, in the end, the audience does not remember any of the information the presenter attempts to convey. David JP Phillips gives some relevant advice on PowerPoint preparation in the video … Read More
Ken Perrott • Dec 06, 2017 •
Frankly, these days I just get turned off by media reports of studies showing statistically significant relationships as evidence for or against the latest health or other fads. I was pleased to read this Nature article – Five ways to fix statistics – recently as it mirrors my concern at the way statistical analysis is sometimes used to justify or confirm a bias and not … Read More
Ken Perrott • Oct 26, 2017 •
What is it with these anti-fluoride campaigners – and particularly their leaders? They make a song and dance about having “science on their side.” They will heavily promote the latest research and papers if they can argue that they confirm their bias. And they will email politicians or make submissions to local bodies making scientific claims – often with citations and long lists of references. Read More
Ken Perrott • Oct 19, 2017 •
Anti-fluoride campaigners have launched another attack on a Canadian fluoridation cessation study. They claim it is flawed – but there is a huge flaw in their own critique. Anti-fluoride group, Fluoride Action Network, ironically stamps their own critique of the Calgary fluoridation cessation study as “debunked.” I discussed their original attack in February last year (see Anti-fluoridationist’s flawed attacks on … Read More
Ken Perrott • Oct 12, 2017 •
I think we do. Something like the good faith scientific exchange I had with Paul Connett four years ago (see Connett & Perrott, 2014 – The Fluoride Debate). After all, there have been a number of important scientific reports since then. They may have been thrashed out (and thrash is sometimes the operative word) in one of the “anti-fluoride” or … Read More
Ken Perrott • Sep 24, 2017 •
The maternal urinary fluoride/IQ study (Bashash et al., 2017) continues to get attention – but mainly from anti-fluoride organisations. The scientific community will evaluate the published report after giving it due consideration and there have already been criticisms. But anti-fluoride campaigners consider it the best thing since sliced bread. The Fluoride Action Network (FAN) describes it as … Read More