The US' top doctor has called for risk warnings on alcohol – similar to the labels on cigarettes – after new research flagging links to seven types of cancer.
The advisory from US Surgeon-General Vivek Murthy says most Americans are unaware of the risk that leads to about 100 000 cases of cancer and 20 000 deaths annually in the United States.
The BBC reports that it would require an Act of Congress to change the existing warning labels, which have not been updated since 1988.
Murthy has also called for reassessing recommended limits for alcohol consumption and boosting education efforts regarding alcoholic drinks and cancer, saying alcohol was the third most common preventable cause of cancer after tobacco and obesity.
“The direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well-established for at least seven types of cancer …regardless of the type of alcohol (e.g, beer, wine, and spirits) consumed,” he said.
The new report recommends healthcare providers should encourage alcohol screening and treatment referrals as needed, and efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.
Over the past two decades, countries have increasingly introduced warning labels to inform consumers about the health risks of alcohol.
The World Health Organisation’s Global Status Report for Alcohol and Health in 2018, cited in Murthy’s report, said 47 member states mandated health and safety warnings on alcohol, up from 31 in 2014.
In the US, only Congress can amend the new warning labels recommended by Murthy, and it’s not clear that the incoming Trump administration would support the change.
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BBC article – US top doctor calls for cancer warnings on alcohol (Open access)
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