Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Classifies Sweetener Aspartame As Possible Carcinogen; FDA Disagrees
CNN: WHO Declares Widely Used Sweetener Aspartame A Possible Cancer Cause, But Intake Guidelines Stay The Same
For the first time, a semi-independent committee for the World Health Organization said Thursday that it’s determined that aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener found in thousands of products like diet sodas and sugar-free gum, should be categorized as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” But as alarming as the designation might sound, this label does not mean your diet soda causes cancer. The designation means that some of the research reviewed by WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows that there may be a possible link between aspartame and liver cancer, but that science is by no means conclusive, like it is for a substance like asbestos or tobacco. (Christensen, 7/13)
The move against aspartame triggered many discussions of risk —
Stat: Does Aspartame Cause Cancer? What New WHO Guidance Says
Aspartame, the popular artificial sweetener in diet sodas and chewing gums, may possibly cause cancer — but the risk appears to be very low for occasional consumers of these products, according to two reports released Thursday evening by the World Health Organization. The first report, penned by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), found “limited evidence” that aspartame may cause liver cancer. The second, from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), reconfirmed the WHO’s previous recommendations that the sweetener is generally safe up until very large doses. (Florko, 7/13)
The New York Times: Aspartame And Cancer: What To Know About The WHO’s Advice
According to the W.H.O., it is safe to consume up to 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight per day. Using diet soda as a measure, the limit means that, by some estimates, a 150-pound person would need to drink more than a dozen cans each day to surpass it. (Blum, 7/13)
Axios: Diet Coke Drinkers: What To Know About Aspartame And Cancer Risk
Despite Diet Coke's cultish following, sales have been in decline over perceptions of its health risks. A World Health Organization cancer agency on Thursday classified aspartame — a key sweetener — as possibly carcinogenic, though experts say that likely doesn't mean you need to quit Diet Coke. (Mallenbaum, 7/13)
The FDA reacted to the news —
NPR: Sweetener Aspartame Is 'Possibly' Carcinogenic, WHO Report Says. FDA Disagrees
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it disagrees with this new classification, pointing to evidence of safety. In a written statement, an FDA official told NPR that aspartame being labeled by the WHO "as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer." (Aubrey, 7/13)
