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Washington, DC - A joint panel of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisers today rejected a FDA
report finding that mercury amalgam dental fillings are safe. Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, who
presented testimony to the joint FDA panel and has advocated banning mercury fillings, issued the
following statement:
"Today a joint panel of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a FDA staff white paper
concluding that dental amalgams used by millions of patients are safe. The panelists said that
the federal report did not objectively present data on the impact of silver fillings that contain
50% mercury.
"The FDA's rejection of the staff report signals the beginning of the end of the use of mercury
fillings in dentistry. The FDA has already banned mercury in disinfectants and thermometers,
warned against mercury in certain foods, and prohibited the use of mercury in all veterinary
products. The UK prohibits the use of mercury silver fillings for pregnant women, and
Scandinavian countries are phasing out its use. Canada also limits the use of mercury fillings.
The logical next step is to completely ban mercury, one of the most potent neuro-toxins known to
man, from use in the mouth literally inches away from the brain.
"Today's finding by the FDA panels has placed the use of mercury fillings in limbo. In the
meantime, it makes perfect sense for the FDA to take the next logical step and ban the use of
mercury fillings in children and pregnant women. Canada and many European countries have already
taken this step. It's now time for the U.S. to implement this sensible recommendation."
For Immediate Release
September 7, 2006
Contact: Bert Hammond • (202) 225-7084
Lois Hill Hale • (323) 965-1422
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