RFK Jr. Urges CDC to Stop Endorsing Fluoride in U.S. Water

• Apr 08, 2025

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Monday he plans to tell the CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water, calling for a major policy shift in public health guidance. Speaking in Salt Lake City, Kennedy announced he is assembling a team of health experts to study the issue and provide updated recommendations.

Kennedy shared these plans after a joint press conference with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. While Kennedy cannot directly stop local governments from fluoridating water, he can influence national policy by directing the CDC to drop its endorsement. He can also work with the EPA to change the maximum fluoride levels allowed in public water systems.

Also on Monday, the EPA confirmed it is reviewing new scientific data on potential health risks of fluoride exposure. Zeldin said the agency’s ongoing evaluation will guide future federal standards. “Secretary Kennedy’s leadership helped push us to reexamine the science behind fluoride,” he said.

The announcement follows Utah’s recent decision to ban fluoride in public water. Last month, it became the first U.S. state to prohibit all cities and communities from adding fluoride, even if they want to. Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed the legislation, and all public water systems in Utah must comply by May 7. Kennedy praised Utah’s decision, calling the state “a leader in making America healthy again.”

Kennedy, who previously worked as an environmental lawyer, has long argued that fluoride is harmful, calling it a “dangerous neurotoxin.” He cited possible links to arthritis, bone fractures, and thyroid disease, though he acknowledged that some of the studies showing harm involve fluoride levels higher than current U.S. recommendations. The CDC currently advises a level of 0.7 milligrams per liter, while the EPA allows up to 4 milligrams.

A 2023 report by the National Toxicology Program found that drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter was associated with lower IQs in children. However, some scientists have questioned the quality of such research and say there is no clear consensus yet.

Still, fluoride remains widely used. About two-thirds of Americans receive fluoridated drinking water, and the practice was once hailed as a major public health victory. But concern over its safety has grown in recent years.

The debate has also taken a political turn. Kennedy’s visit to Utah and celebration of the fluoride ban raised questions from public health advocates, including Lorna Koci of the Utah Oral Health Coalition. She warned that the issue is becoming more about political power than science.

Meanwhile, the CDC's 20-person Division of Oral Health — which supported local fluoride programs — was recently cut during broad federal staffing reductions.