June 14, 2001<br> <br><br>Association responds to
amalgam litigation <br>The complaint filed June 12
against the American Dental Association and the
California Dental Association by a coalition of anti-amalgam
groups may "prey on the fears of people who have serious
medical conditions," the ADA said in a statement
today.<br><br>The complaint, claiming the dental organizations have
misled the public about alleged dangers of mercury in
amalgam fillings, could lead people with unrelated
conditions to believe the cure for their problems lies in a
costly dental treatment not based on proven scientific
evidence, the Association said. <br> <br> Stories<br>
<br>Dental amalgam <br>Rep. Norwood <br>California <br> <br>
<br>"There is no sound scientific evidence supporting a link
between amalgam fillings and systemic diseases or chronic
illness," ADA President Dr. Robert M. Anderton said in the
statement. "This is a position shared by the ADA and all
major U.S. public health agencies and is a matter of
public record." <br>"This complaint is without merit,
and the ADA and CDA will mount a vigorous defense,"
Dr. Anderton declared.<br><br>Filed in the Los
Angeles Superior Court, the complaint claims violations
of California's business and professions code,
charging that the ADA and CDA have issued rules preventing
dentists from discussing mercury with their
patients.<br><br>Among the groups represented in the complaint are Kids
Against Pollution, Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome Inc.,
the American Academy of Biological Diversity and
patients who claim mercury in their amalgam fillings has
made them ill.<br><br>"This litigation appears to be
an effort to 'gag' scientific debate," Dr. Anderton
said in the ADA statement. "If the plaintiffs were
successful, it would establish the precedent that
professional associations cannot form scientific opinions and
communicate those opinions to the public and the profession
without fear of being sued by those who do not share
their views."<br><br>Dental amalgam is a safe,
affordable and durable material that has been used to
restore the teeth of more than 100 million Americans, the
Association said in a position paper. "Dental amalgam has
been used for more than 150 years and, during that
time, has established an extensively reviewed record of
safety and effectiveness." <br> <br>
<br><br><br><a href=http://www.ada.org/prof/pubs/daily/0106/0614amal.html
target=new>http://www.ada.org/prof/pubs/daily/0106/0614amal.html</a>