The trade association for the spirits industry in the US has shared its view on last week’s call for updated labelling on alcohol to highlight to the country’s consumers a link with cancer.
On Friday, the Surgeon General for the country, Dr Vivek Murthy, published an advisory notice in which he recommended a revision of the existing warning labels on alcohol. The recommendation is based on the note’s claim that “less than half of US adults are aware of the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk”.
Following the announcement, which negatively impacted the share prices of listed alcohol brand owners, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (Discus), asked the country’s authorities to consider “the entire body of scientific research” before agreeing to the request.
“Cancer is a complex disease,” said Discus’ senior VP of science & research, Dr Amanda Berger. “Studies have linked excessive drinking with an increased risk of certain types of cancer, and some have reported an association between moderate alcohol consumption and an increased risk of breast cancer. This has long been included in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and it was also included in the 2016 Surgeon General Report.
“The current health warning on alcohol products has long informed consumers about the potential risks of the consumption of alcohol,” Dr Berger added. “Many lifestyle choices carry potential risks, and it is the federal government’s role to determine any proposed changes to the warning statements based on the entire body of scientific research.”
Dr Murthy, who has been the Surgeon General since March 2021, is set to be replaced by Dr Janette Nesheiwat when Donald Trump assumes the presidency later this month.
