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News from the Secretary |
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News from the Secretary |
Message from the Secretary
March, 1st 1998
This letter is from LATS and was sent to several Brazilian governmental officials.
This is to manifest our deepest concern about the Brazilian program of salt iodination. As it is generally known, the salt iodination is fundamental to support the synthesis of thyroid hormones which in turn if key for the development of the central nervous system of newborn children and throughout the childhood. Deficient salt iodination causes serious and irreversible consequences to the developing brain. Recent data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health indicate that in the years 94, 95 and 96, approximately 10% of the salt produced in the Brazil did not contain iodine, while approximately 30% of the salt had insufficient iodine, below of that determined by law. These numbers are still more impressive when salt samples obtained from the shelves in the supermarket are analyzed, as indicated in a recent national TV program.
To make matters worse the Ministry of Health dissolved the Instituto Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (INAN) and dismissed the members of the Programa Nacional de Prevenção das Moléstias da Carência de Iodo. The many sectors of these two programs were fragmented among several groups of the Department of Health.
The situation is serious and the several officers of the Latin American Thyroid Society, after having discussed this matter thoroughly with representatives of the UNICEF and PAHO, feel it is our obligation to bring this important matter to your attention hoping that urgent steps will be taken to solve this problem.
Antonio C. Bianco, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Physiology, University of São Paulo
Secretary Treasurer, Latin American Thyroid Society
