The ADA News (12/17, Garvin) reports that during the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury in November 2019, delegates representing the 113 parties “rejected a proposal from a number of African nations to ban dental amalgam.” The article notes that although “the Minamata Convention calls for the ‘phase out’ of most products containing mercury,” dental amalgam, given “its importance to public health, was exempted from the phase out.” ADA President Chad P. Gehani said, “The ADA is pleased that the world community continues to heed the advice of the ADA, FDI, International Association of Dental Research and World Health Organization, as the leading authorities on the oral health of the public and continues to recognize the value of dental amalgam to public health.” “Many countries opposed the proposal arguing that information on dental amalgam use and feasibility of alternatives is needed before deciding on a phase out approach,” the FDI said in a news release.

        For more information about the Minamata Convention, visit MercuryConvention.org.