Poland removes dental amalgam from public health care benefits, effectively phasing it out without any transition period. While adjusting its guaranteed benefits to the EU-phase out on amalgam fillings for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers the Polish Ministry of Health has supprisingly announced to
The Council of Ministers, at the proposal of President Mario Draghi and Minister of Justice Marta Cartabia, approved, in final examination, the penalty discipline for the violation of the provisions of Regulation (EU) no. 2017/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May
The Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-4) is being held in two parts due to the Corona Pandemic. To ensure that the Minamata Convention on Mercury can continue as the current budget and work program expire at the end of 2021, the
Phase-out of mercury-containing dental fillings gains momentum With the end of the first part of the fourth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP4), held online Nov. 1-5, the regulation of dental amalgam is coming into focus. The UN Convention calls
The WHO presented a Report of the Informal Global WHO Consultation with Policymakers in Dental Public Health (2021), which concludes that “The results of the consultation with policymakers in dental public health highlight that phase-down and even phase-out of use of dental amalgam is achievable,
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland has adopted a first plan of “Possibilities of reducing the use of dental amalgam in Poland – situation and national actions“. Unlike other European countries that have already decided to phase out the use of amalgam,
The World Health Organization published the 22nd WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) and the 8th Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc). These lists now include Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC), an effective alternative to amalgam fillings with a convincing justification: In the
For the effective implementation of regulations, it is necessary to establish penalties in case of non-compliance. Penalties for misuse of mercury in dentistry may be found in various regulations such as Health Care Provider Acts, Public Health Regulations, Chemical Laws, or Environmental Protection Acts. In
On August 12, 2021, the Minamata Convention Secretariat published information on mercury-free alternatives to dental amalgam and on the implementation of additional measures by Parties to reduce the use of mercury in dentistry. It states that mercury-free fillings, such as composites or glass ionomer cements,
Measures to reduce the use of Dental Amalgam in Europe So far, the EU requirements as of July 1, 2017, have stipulated that dental amalgam is no longer allowed to be used for the treatment of deciduous teeth, of children under 15 years and of
