Forced Mass Medication

6.00.00pm GMT Wed 25th Mar 2009

David Goodall with the anti-fluoridation campaign

A sham consultation has made a mockery local people's wishes. The decision by South Central Strategic Health Authority's board to allow fluoride to be added to the water is fundamentally wrong. They are an unelected board and so have to get a mandate to make major decisions; They must consult the people they serve. In that consultation three-quarters of the people who are affected and expressed a view said "no" to fluoridated water. Also, among the elected councils consulted four out of five said "no" to fluoridated water.

So it could also be said that it was a sham consultation and that in this regard we live in a dictatorship and not a democracy. It was a sham consultation but it is not quite a dictatorship. There are elected people directly involved in the decision process: The Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson MP and his team, including Ann Keen MP who is specifically responsible for fluoridation.

Commenting on the process David Goodall said:-

"In my view it would be far better if local health services were controlled by a health board where the majority of the members were directly elected by the people they serve, this also happens to be Liberal Democrat policy"

Strangely, the three areas in Southampton Itchen said to be in particular need, i.e. Thornhill, Harefield and Townhill Park, are not to receive fluoridated water, but then again this decision makes so little sense this is of no real surprise.