The country’s top doctor is sounding the alarm about the link between drinking alcohol and increased cancer risks.
On Friday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory saying alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable cancer deaths.
Murthy, who is a medical doctor and heads the federal Public Health Service, called for a new label on drinks directly tying them to cancer risks and for taking other public health measures.
It’s linked to an increased risk of seven different types of cancers, including breast and colorectal cancers, he said.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a written statement.
The move was welcomed by many health advocates and researchers.
“We have had the data on some of the cancers for a very long time that they directly associate with cancer, and those were breast, colon, these two we've known for a long time. Liver, you know, these are big cancers,” said Dr. Niharika Khanna of University of Maryland School of Medicine. “I think the entire medical community has known that, but the surgeon general hadn't stepped up yet to recommend these guidelines.”
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Alcoholic beverages currently carry a warning label about drinking while pregnant and drunken driving which also says alcohol consumption “may cause health problems”.
The head of the state-funded Iowa Cancer Registry said it’s a key recognition of the need to inform the public about the relationship between alcohol and cancer.
“Fewer than half the people in this country know that alcohol is a risk for cancer. So anything that we can do the warnings, the dietary recommendations, anything we can do to educate children, adolescents, adults, that alcohol does increase your risk for cancer is really important,” said Professor Mary Charlton of the University of Iowa College of Public Health.
While the message was striking, it’s not clear what immediate impact it would have. Murthy will soon leave office with the end of the Biden Administration. Former Fox News contributor Dr Janette Nesheiwat is expected to replace him.
The Surgeon General has no direct authority over health warnings. That language was set by Congress in 1988 and can only be changed with legislation. Neither can Murthy make another major change he’s requesting: Revisions to the government’s official dietary guidelines that recognize that risk.
Those guidelines are set to be revised and currently recommend men consume two or fewer alcoholic drinks daily with the recommendation that women drink half that amount.
But those guidelines are produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the Public Health Service. USDA officials rebuffed earlier efforts to make similar changes after industry pressure.
Charlton said public health advocates are hoping the public will get the message.
“I know that alcohol has some benefits socially, and that it's part of our culture, but anything you can do to reduce your exposure to alcohol, having one drink less drinking one day a week less. And not doing heavy or binge drinking will very much improve your health and reduce your risk for cancer,” she said.
Beverage makers sounded notes of caution, without commenting directly on the advisory.
“A preponderance of current and sound science must be the basis for any public policy decision whether it involves updates to the DGAs or congressionally mandated labeling,” Wine Institute spokesman Gino DiCarlo said in written statement.
“Because it is a complex issue, Wine Institute always refers consumers to the most current (dietary guidelines) and recommends that any person who has concerns about consuming alcohol should consult with their healthcare provider,” DiCarlo wrote.
