"Citing health concerns, newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this week that he will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending that states add fluoride to their water, and will convene a federal taskforce of independent health experts to study the health risks presented by the practice while establishing a new “optimal” level.

The comments came as Kennedy spoke alongside Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at a news conference in Utah on Monday. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox finalized a law banning water fluoridation on March 21, a move that Kennedy praised.

“In the era of fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash, it makes no sense to have fluoride in our water,” Kennedy said at the event. “The evidence against fluoride is overwhelming.”

The EPA said in a press release that it will “expeditiously review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.” In the release, Zeldin said when the review is completed, the agency will have “an updated foundational scientific evaluation” to inform its actions on the issue."

Douglas Main reports for The New Lede April 8, 2025. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"MAHA Sinks Its Teeth Into EPA" (E&E News) [3]

"RFK Jr. Tells CDC To Change Its Guidance On Fluoride In Drinking Water" (Washington Post) [4]

"Speaker Johnson Says Fluoride In Water Deserves Another Look" (The Hill) [5]