RFK Jr. claims fluoride reduces children's IQ, seeks national ban

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reignited controversy by asserting that fluoride in drinking water lowers children's IQs and should be banned nationwide. Citing a National Toxicology Program (NTP) study, Kennedy claimed a direct inverse correlation between fluoride exposure and intelligence, arguing that current federal recommendations should be changed. However, scientific experts and organizations such as the American Dental Association and the National Academies of Sciences have criticized the NTP study for methodological flaws and noted it does not show harm at the fluoride levels recommended in U.S. water supplies. Decades of research support fluoridation as a safe and effective way to reduce dental cavities, and most data linking fluoride to cognitive issues come from regions with significantly higher natural fluoride concentrations than those found in the U.S. Kennedy’s push faces strong opposition from health and dental professionals, who warn that rolling back fluoridation could harm public health, particularly among children.