Experts say it could take years to put cancer warning labels on alcohol bottles

Some industry experts are skeptical that US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s recommendation to place cancer warning labels on alcohol will gain traction in the short term, with one expert suggesting that if it did, it would… Its implementation may take years.

Dr Vivek Murthy, whose term ends at the end of January, has issued advice outlining the direct link between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of several cancers including cancer of the throat, liver, esophagus, mouth, larynx (voice box) and colon and rectum. Cancer.

His advice stated that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, which contributes to its occurrence 100,000 cancer cases And 20 thousand deaths from cancer every year. It also stated that updating health warning labels on alcoholic beverages is “an important next step for preventing alcohol-related cancer.”

Dr. David Shaker, of New Jersey-based Shaker Medical Group, told FOX Business that “there is no way for anyone to know what will happen, but drawing on the history of similar topics is the best way to see the future.”

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For example, he pointed to the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health, which officially declared cigarette smoking to be the leading cause of lung cancer and other serious diseases. In 1965, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 required health warning labels to be placed on cigarette packages beginning in 1966.

The initial warning read: “Warning: Cigarette smoking may be dangerous to your health.

Peter Bates, a former associate commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration and co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, believes that if labels are put on alcohol products, it could take years — if it happens at all — because of the inherent nature. Slow pace of government decision-making.

However, Bates stressed that moving with caution, especially regarding an allegation of this magnitude, is essential, saying: “Rushing to conclusions is never a good thing.” He is also skeptical about the timing of the report and calls for more research. He called Murthy’s decision to wait until the end of his term to make such an announcement “very strange.”

Murthy, who will step down on January 20, will be replaced next Inauguration ceremony of President-elect Trump.

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“If the data has been around for so long, if the data is so clear, why would he wait until he’s packed his boxes to leave his office to make this very aggressive kind of announcement?” Bates said. “I want to understand why now versus three years ago when the administration could have invested all the weight of its time in power.”

Bates said the current administration “could have spent more time, more effort, and more political capital moving forward with a proposal as dramatic as labeling alcoholic beverages a possible cause of cancer.”

It calls for new studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of eleven agencies that make up the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“When these studies come out, we can really look at the data and understand what it says,” he said. “Then we can take a step back and say, how can we advise Americans regarding their personal choices and the potential health risks those choices present now?”

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Officials at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, stress the importance of counseling. “Advice about alcohol use and cancer risk is important for everyone to hear, especially for those at increased risk of cancer due to family history or other factors,” NCI Director Dr. Kimryn Rathmell said in a recent statement.

However, Rathmell told FOX Business that the NCI “continues to conduct research, so that we can provide clearer guidance on how individuals can manage their risks personally.”

“The National Cancer Institute will continue to publish research findings on alcohol use and cancer risk as policymakers consider the use of product labels,” she said, adding that “knowing the personal risks of alcohol use is valuable for individuals making personal lifestyle decisions” and that “ensuring that Community reliable information about the risk factor within our control is important for cancer prevention.”

The most important thing, Rathmell added, is “providing people with information so they can make personal decisions and discuss them with their doctor.”