A woman who blames her health problems on mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings has vowed to keep fighting after MPs turned down her plea for a ban.
A report issued by Parliament's health select committee yesterday found there was no conclusive evidence to prove amalgam fillings caused health problems.
"It's a huge disappointment after over a year of hard work," said Juliet Pratt, who collected 1341 signatures for her petition calling on the Government to ban the use of mercury amalgam for children and pregnant women immediately, and phase it out entirely by 2013.
She believes the chronic fatigue syndrome she suffered for nine years was caused by mercury leaking from her 40 amalgam fillings.
"Since I had them replaced, I've got back into sport. My life is totally changed."
She continues to work with anti-amalgam activists in the United States and remains confident that history will prove them right.
"At least we've raised awareness of the issue and more and more people are saying no to amalgam."
Green MP Sue Kedgley, who has promised to convene a panel of experts on the issue, said MPs were presented with compelling evidence that mercury vapour from amalgam fillings could leach into organs such as the kidneys, thyroid and brain, and accumulate over time, causing illness. "There is no safe level of exposure to mercury."
Sweden, Norway and Denmark had banned the use of mercury amalgam fillings because of health and environmental concerns. New Zealand should at least take a "safety first" approach, and follow the lead of Australia, Britain, Canada and Germany in recommending against mercury amalgam for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with kidney disease, she said.
The Health Ministry said its guidelines already recommended against amalgam in people with kidney problems and advocated cautious use in children and pregnant women. However, officials were confident amalgam was "safe, effective, and affordable" for most people.
A ban would raise dental costs by up to 20 per cent.
The New Zealand Dental Association said a ban on amalgam would "jeopardise the oral health of many New Zealand children, which is already in decline".
The committee recommended that the Health Ministry continue to review scientific evidence, and to look at other filling materials as well as cost-effective diagnostic tests for mercury allergy.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2836535/MPs-decline-plea-to-ban-amalgam
