Atlanta Injury Lawyers BlogCalls for Action Against Mercury Dental Fillings Grow Louder
Atlanta dental malpractice lawyers have found the failure of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to warn the public adequately about the dangers of mercury dental fillings or amalgam fillings, perplexing. The calls for the agency to limit the use of mercury fillings, or warn the public about the risks of these fillings, are getting louder. While it is not clear whether these fillings are, in fact, causing the problems that some researchers and activists are attributing to them, I think the best course of action is to inform the public of what information and evidence is out there and let each person decide for themselves what course of action they want to take with the filling that they get.
This month, dentists, consumers and health care experts are calling on the agency to warn consumers about the risks of these fillings. Among the people adding their voices to these calls is a woman, who alleges that her children were severely harmed by the mercury fillings that were inserted into her teeth during her pregnancies.
It’s not as if scientists, environmental groups and health experts do not agree on the risks to human health from mercury exposure. There is an almost unanimous opinion that exposure to mercury damages human health and risks the environment. However, in spite of this evidence, the Food and Drug Administration has been painfully slow to act on the matter.
Many times, to Atlanta dental malpractice lawyers, it has seemed that the agency will finally take action. However, the agency has delayed for years. In 2009, the FDA more or less ruled that mercury fillings were safe to use, and then the following December, the agency convened a scientific advisory panel to review the safety of mercury fillings. Why the wishy-washy approach to this potential problem?
The panel advised the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of mercury in fillings, or at least restrict their use to prevent exposure to children and pregnant women. The panel also advised the Food and Drug Administration to add warning labels that informed consumers about the risks of these fillings. The agency has failed to act on any of these recommendations. One can only wonder why? To be sure, the FDA’s sole concern should be the health and safety of the American public. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, bus accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta, Georgia area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like discuss your case, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.
