There is an epidemic of hypothyroidism in the UK and some other countries where there is high exposure to fluoride prescribed drugs and chemicals.

The causes are well documented and include halogen chemicals in many products causing this problem by displacing iodine.

Fluoride displaces iodine the most, chlorine next and bromine less.

The restaurants at Westminster for MPs bought bottled spring water for many years until they more recently had filters fitted to taps.

They have the best medical advisers and are all right, Jack!

Most countries do not add fluoride to tap water for “ethical reasons” and “medical considerations”.

The fluoride used in tap water is industrial waste from industry, mostly the phosphate fertiliser industry, and is expensive to dispose of safely.

It was proposed a few years ago to grind up nuclear waste and incorporate it in pots and pans, children’s toys, etc, to help solve the disposal problem.

There is no credible evidence that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and some countries that did mistakenly add it, such as Holland and Switzerland, gave up when they found it did not prevent tooth decay and did have adverse effects on health.

Countries which do not add fluoride to tap water have the least tooth decay and those that do have high levels of obesity, for example Australia and the USA, due to fluoride causing a lowered thyroid function and metabolic rate.

I have avoided fluoride since 1986 after I was infected with hepatitis C through a blood transfusion as fluoride can change the virus to fatal liver disease, and a huge number of those infected with hepatitis C have died because they were not given information on how to prevent it changing to a fatal condition.

The level at which I have found fluoride not to have a noticeable adverse effect on health is 0.2 parts per million (ppm). The UK Government say safe is five times this level, 1.0ppm.

There should be a lowering of the stated safe level.

Edward Priestly, Fellow, The European Medical Association, Yorkshire