Vivian Marlowe
The World Health Organization (WHO) has lobbied the European Union (EU) against watering down the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. In February 2022, the European Parliament voted to dilute alcohol policy elements in the Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer report, prepared by the European Parliament's Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA). Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, the report emphasized only excessive consumption as a risk factor and recommended labels advising moderate drinking instead of explicit health warnings. The WHO, along with health advocates, has expressed concern over the influence of the alcohol industry lobby in shaping EU policies and urged lawmakers to recognize the contribution of alcohol consumption to cancer incidence and mortality without using misleading qualifiers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Organization Lobbying | WHO |
| Lobbying Target | EU Lawmakers |
| Issue | Watering down alcohol cancer risk |
| WHO's Stance | Alcohol consumption has no safe level when it comes to cancer prevention |
| EU Lawmakers' Action | Watered down warnings on alcohol as a cause of cancer |
| Lawmakers' Report | Non-binding, but could guide new rules from the European Commission |
| Lawmakers' Amendments | Changed the report to refer only to "harmful" consumption |
| WHO's Action | Complained about the disappearance of a reference to health warning labelling |
| WHO's Statement | "The contribution of alcohol consumption to cancer incidence and mortality should be clearly recognized without the use of any qualifiers or misleading adjectives" |
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What You'll Learn
WHO's letter to lawmakers
In a letter addressed to lawmakers in the European Parliament's Environment Committee (ENVI), the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern about the state of the EU's Beating Cancer plan. The letter, dated 3 November, was sent ahead of a crucial vote on a set of amendments to a resolution on non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
In the letter, WHO's Europe regional director, Hans Kluge, wrote:
> While I recognize that this document is of an advisory nature, I am troubled by the trend witnessed in the finalization of this crucial report. In particular, the attempt to water down the alcohol cancer risk in the compromise amendments by warning only against an alleged 'harmful use' was not well-digested by the United Nations specialized agency, which, at the beginning of 2023, released a position stating that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. The terminology of 'moderate and responsible drinking information' or 'harmful consumption of alcohol' is scientifically inaccurate and worrisome in the context of cancer prevention.
The WHO letter also highlighted the removal of references to "alcohol consumption" in the amendments, which included a list of factors that significantly increase the risk of NCDs. The organization reiterated its position that alcohol consumption contributes to cancer incidence and mortality, without using qualifiers or adjectives like "harmful" or "heavy" consumption.
Furthermore, the WHO expressed disappointment over the disappearance of a reference to health warning labelling as a recommendation for improving consumer information. They stressed that the removal of the European Commission's commitment to introduce cancer-specific health warning labels undermines the effort to reduce the prevalence and incidence of cancer in the EU.
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MEPs' amendments
MEPs proposed 560 amendments in September, with a smaller number of compromise amendments agreed upon by political groups and the rapporteur, Erik Paulsen. These compromise amendments aimed to water down the alcohol cancer risk by warning only against "harmful use" instead of recognising that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer prevention.
The MEPs' amendments also removed references to "alcohol use" and "health warning" from the text. Instead, they emphasised the need for information on moderate and responsible drinking on alcoholic drinks labels. This shift in wording aligns with the alcohol industry's lobbying efforts, which have been criticised for prioritising profits over public health.
The amendments also steered away from recommending a ban on sports sponsorship by alcoholic drinks companies. Instead, they suggested limiting the ban to events mainly attended by minors. This change reflects the perspective that moderate alcohol consumption is acceptable, contradicting scientific evidence and the World Health Organization's (WHO) position.
The MEPs' amendments were influenced by organisations representing the EU wine sector, such as the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) and EU farmers lobby Copa-Cogeca. These groups lobbied to maintain a clear distinction between "harmful use" and "moderate/responsible consumption" of alcohol. However, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare) urged MEPs to reject these compromise amendments, highlighting the importance of recognising alcohol consumption as a risk factor for cancer.
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Alcohol industry lobbying
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been lobbying EU lawmakers to not water down the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. The WHO has expressed concern over the removal of references to alcohol consumption as a risk factor for multiple non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the disappearance of a commitment to introduce cancer-specific health warning labels. Despite this, the European Parliament's Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) has voted to water down alcohol policy elements, with many MEPs echoing the talking points of the alcohol industry. This has been referred to as "doing the dirty work for Big Alcohol".
The alcohol industry has been accused of blocking the public from knowing about the cancer-causing properties of alcohol. A study showed that alcohol use, even at low doses, contributes to a significant cancer burden in Europe. However, the general public remains largely unaware of this fact due to the aggressive lobbying of the alcohol industry.
In the European Parliament, 25 out of 70 MEPs who spoke about the BECA report specifically talked about alcohol, with many repeating industry talking points. The final resolution stressed only excessive consumption as a risk factor and recommended that labels should include advice on moderate drinking rather than a health warning. This is despite the WHO's position that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer prevention.
The alcohol industry has been successful in lobbying to maintain a distinction between "harmful use" and "moderate/responsible consumption" of alcohol. Organisations representing the EU wine sector, such as the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) and EU farmers lobby Copa-Cogeca, have lobbied to maintain this distinction. This has resulted in a watering down of the language used to describe the link between alcohol and cancer, with references to "alcohol consumption" being replaced by "harmful use".
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Big Alcohol talking points
The alcohol industry has been accused of lobbying EU lawmakers to water down the language around alcohol's cancer risk. This has been labelled as an attempt to prioritise private profits over public health. Despite growing scientific evidence, the industry has been accused of blocking the knowledge about alcohol causing cancer from reaching the public.
- Emphasising the distinction between "harmful use" or "excessive consumption" of alcohol and "moderate" or "responsible consumption". This implies that drinking within certain limits is safe, despite evidence to the contrary.
- Arguing that there is a lack of consensus or uncertainty in the scientific evidence linking alcohol to cancer. This creates doubt and delays regulatory action.
- Highlighting the economic importance of the alcohol industry, including job creation and tax revenue, to gain support from lawmakers and the public.
- Framing alcohol regulation as an infringement on personal freedom and individual choice, rather than a public health issue.
- Using industry-funded research or biased interpretations of scientific studies to downplay the link between alcohol and cancer.
- Lobbying for self-regulation instead of government intervention, arguing that the industry can promote responsible drinking through advertising and marketing campaigns.
- Emphasising personal responsibility and individual lifestyle choices, shifting the focus away from the role of the alcohol industry in influencing consumption patterns and health outcomes.
- Forming alliances with other industries, such as the hospitality sector, to present a united front and increase their influence on policymakers.
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WHO's joint statement with IARC
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released a joint statement on November 6, 2023, addressing the European Parliament. The statement aimed to raise awareness of the established link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk, emphasizing that any amount of alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancer.
The joint statement highlighted the scientific evidence demonstrating that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating sufficient evidence of its cancer-causing effects in humans. This classification by the IARC, the specialized cancer agency of WHO, was based on research identifying alcohol as a cause of cancers in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, and other sites. The statement emphasized that even light or moderate alcohol consumption increases cancer risk, with no safe threshold of alcohol intake established.
The WHO and IARC expressed concern over the watering down of alcohol-related cancer risks in recent reports and amendments by the European Parliament. They advocated for clear recognition of alcohol's contribution to cancer incidence and mortality without the use of misleading qualifiers like "harmful" or "responsible drinking." The statement also emphasized the importance of health warning labels on alcoholic beverages to inform consumers about the associated health risks.
The WHO and IARC provided recommendations for Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, urging the recognition of alcohol as a significant cancer risk factor. They suggested that measures should be taken to effectively inform the public about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer, including the enforcement of the European Code Against Cancer recommendations. This code advises individuals who choose to drink alcohol to limit their intake, as there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk.
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Frequently asked questions
The World Health Organization (WHO) is lobbying EU lawmakers against watering down alcohol cancer risk.
The WHO is asking that the contribution of alcohol consumption to cancer incidence and mortality be clearly recognised without the use of qualifiers or misleading adjectives such as 'harmful' or 'heavy' consumption.
The EU lawmakers have watered down their warning to Europeans regarding alcohol's links to cancer, stressing only excessive consumption as a risk factor.
Despite growing scientific evidence, the general public remains largely unaware that alcohol causes cancer. This is partly due to the alcohol industry blocking this knowledge from reaching the public.
