US surgeon-general calls for labels on alcoholic drinks to warn of increased cancer risk

Vivek Murthy, US surgeon-general, has called for new warning labels on alcoholic drinks that inform consumers of the increased risk of cancer.

The surgeon-general’s advisory is a public statement that calls American people to an urgent public health issue and provides recommendations.

Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate awareness and action.

In the advisory published on Friday, the surgeon-general said there is extensive evidence that alcohol causes cancer in many ways.

According to the advisory, alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde in the body, which causes cancer by binding to DNA and damaging it.

“Alcohol generates reactive oxygen species, which increase inflammation and can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids in the body through a process called oxidation,” the advisory reads.

“Alcohol alters hormone levels (including estrogen), which can play a role in the development of breast cancer.

“Carcinogens from other sources, especially particles of tobacco smoke, can dissolve in alcohol, making it easier for them to be absorbed into the body, increasing the risk for mouth and throat cancers.”

The surgeon-general said to reduce cancer risk, the US should “update the existing surgeon-general’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include a warning about the risk of cancer associated with alcohol consumption”.

He said the US should also pursue changes to label characteristics to make the warning label “more visible, prominent, and effective” in increasing awareness about cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption.

He also said the country should “reassess recommended limits for alcohol consumption to account for the latest evidence on alcohol consumption and cancer risk”.

“Strengthen and expand education efforts to increase general awareness that alcohol consumption causes cancer. Inform patients in clinical settings about the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk,” he added.

“Promote the use of alcohol screening and provide brief intervention and referral to treatment as needed.”