‘Time for mandatory folic acid fortification’ — expert

The chair of a Department of Health group on folic acid policy, Prof Michael Turner, explains why he personally sees the need for a pan-European approach to folic acid food fortification, writes June Shannon Irish rates of neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida and anencephaly are among the highest in the world. While taking folic acid peri-conceptually can prevent up to 70 per cent of NTDs, women in Ireland do not seem to be getting the message. This has tragically resulted in an increase in the number of babies born with defects. So is it time to introduce…