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Some industry experts doubt that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's recommendation for cancer warning labels on alcohol will be heeded anytime soon, with one expert suggesting that if it does, It may take years to implement.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, who will complete his term at the end of January, issued a recommendation linking alcohol consumption with an increased risk of several cancers including throat, liver, esophagus, mouth, larynx (voice box), colon and dissected the rectum. Cancers
His advice stated that alcohol is the third most preventable cause of cancer in the United States, accounting for approx 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths per year. It also announced that updating health warning labels on alcoholic beverages “is an important next step in preventing alcohol-related cancer.”
Dr. David Shaker, of New Jersey-based Shaker Medical Group, told FOX Business, “There's no way for anyone to know what's going to happen, but using the history of similar issues is the best way to see the future.”
The association of alcohol with cancer risk in the new US Surgeon General's Advisory
As an example, he cited the 1964 Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health, which officially declared smoking to be the leading cause of lung cancer and other serious diseases. In 1965, the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 mandated health warning labels on cigarette packages beginning in 1966.
The initial warning read: “Caution: Smoking may be dangerous to your health.
Peter Pitts, a former member of the Food and Drug Commission and co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, believes that if alcohol products are to be labeled, it could take years by nature — if it happens at all. Low speed of government decision-making
However, Pitts emphasized that caution is necessary, especially with a claim of this magnitude, stating, “It's never a good thing to jump to conclusions.” He is also skeptical about the timing of the report and supports further investigation. He described Morty's decision to wait until the end of his term to make such an announcement as “very strange”.
He will be succeeded by Murthy, who will step down on January 20 Inauguration of President-elect Trump.
Shares in the alcohol maker have fallen following the Surgeon General's advice on cancer
“If the data has been available for a long time, and if the data is so clear, why is he waiting until he's packing his boxes to leave office to make this very aggressive kind of announcement?” Pitts said. “I want to understand why now compared to three years ago when the government could really put the full weight of their time into their position actively.”
A bartender pours beer from a tap at Signature Brew in East London on August 19, 2022. (HOLLIE ADAMS/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Pitts said the current administration could have spent more time, more effort and more political capital pushing a proposal as far-reaching as labeling alcoholic beverages as possible cancer-causing agents.
He supports new studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that make up the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“Once these studies come in, we can really look at the data and understand what they're saying,” he said. “Then we can take a step back and say, how can we counsel Americans about their personal choices and the potential health risks that those choices now pose?”
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Officials at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH, emphasize the importance of counseling. NCI Director Dr. Kimryn Rathmell said in a recent statement that “advice about alcohol consumption and cancer risk is important for everyone to hear, especially for those who have a family history or other risk factors for cancer. ”
Bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label and Double Black Blended Scotch Whiskey are displayed for sale on January 31, 2024 in Leigh on Sea, England. (Photo by John Cable/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Still, Ratmel told FOX Business that the NCI is “continuing to do research so we can provide clearer guidance on how people can personally manage their risk.”
“NCI will continue to publish research findings on alcohol consumption and cancer risk as policymakers consider the use of product labeling,” he said. and added that “knowing the personal risks of alcohol use is valuable for people making personal lifestyle decisions” and “ensuring that they are aware of the personal risks of alcohol use.” that society has reliable information about a “Knowing the risk factor under our control is important for cancer prevention.”
The most important thing, Ratmel added, is to “equip people with information so they can make personal decisions and share them with their doctor.”