America’s top doctor has called for risk warnings on alcoholic beverages, similar to the labels on cigarettes, following new research that links the drinks to seven types of cancer.
The advisory from US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says the “majority of Americans are unaware of this risk” that leads to about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 deaths annually in the US.
It would require an act of Congress to change the existing warning labels, which have not been updated since 1988.
Mr Murthy has also called for reassessing recommended limits for alcohol consumption and boosting education efforts regarding alcoholic drinks and cancer.
The Surgeon General, who is the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government, said that 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) that is consumed,” Mr Murthy said in a statement.
This includes increased risk of cancer of the breast (in women), throat, liver, oesophagus, mouth, larynx and colon.
The new report recommends health care providers should encourage alcohol screening and treatment referrals as needed, and efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.
The warning labels are currently required to state that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol due to birth defect risks. It also must state that “consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems”.
Share prices of US-listed alcoholic beverage companies – including Diageo, the world’s biggest spirits manufacturer – fell by up to 4% following the announcement.