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IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pearce, N; Blair, A; Vineis, P; Ahrens, W; Andersen, A; Anto, JM; Armstrong, BK; Baccarelli, AA; Beland, FA; Berrington, A; Bertazzi, PA ...
Published in: Environ Health Perspect
June 2015

BACKGROUND: Recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Programme for the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans has been criticized for several of its evaluations, and also for the approach used to perform these evaluations. Some critics have claimed that failures of IARC Working Groups to recognize study weaknesses and biases of Working Group members have led to inappropriate classification of a number of agents as carcinogenic to humans. OBJECTIVES: The authors of this Commentary are scientists from various disciplines relevant to the identification and hazard evaluation of human carcinogens. We examined criticisms of the IARC classification process to determine the validity of these concerns. Here, we present the results of that examination, review the history of IARC evaluations, and describe how the IARC evaluations are performed. DISCUSSION: We concluded that these recent criticisms are unconvincing. The procedures employed by IARC to assemble Working Groups of scientists from the various disciplines and the techniques followed to review the literature and perform hazard assessment of various agents provide a balanced evaluation and an appropriate indication of the weight of the evidence. Some disagreement by individual scientists to some evaluations is not evidence of process failure. The review process has been modified over time and will undoubtedly be altered in the future to improve the process. Any process can in theory be improved, and we would support continued review and improvement of the IARC processes. This does not mean, however, that the current procedures are flawed. CONCLUSIONS: The IARC Monographs have made, and continue to make, major contributions to the scientific underpinning for societal actions to improve the public's health.

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Published In

Environ Health Perspect

DOI

EISSN

1552-9924

Publication Date

June 2015

Volume

123

Issue

6

Start / End Page

507 / 514

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Publications
  • Public Health
  • Neoplasms
  • International Agencies
  • Humans
  • Carcinogens, Environmental
  • Biomedical Research
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 41 Environmental sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Pearce, N., Blair, A., Vineis, P., Ahrens, W., Andersen, A., Anto, J. M., … Zahm, S. H. (2015). IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans. Environ Health Perspect, 123(6), 507–514. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409149
Pearce, Neil, Aaron Blair, Paolo Vineis, Wolfgang Ahrens, Aage Andersen, Josep M. Anto, Bruce K. Armstrong, et al. “IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans.Environ Health Perspect 123, no. 6 (June 2015): 507–14. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409149.
Pearce N, Blair A, Vineis P, Ahrens W, Andersen A, Anto JM, et al. IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans. Environ Health Perspect. 2015 Jun;123(6):507–14.
Pearce, Neil, et al. “IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans.Environ Health Perspect, vol. 123, no. 6, June 2015, pp. 507–14. Pubmed, doi:10.1289/ehp.1409149.
Pearce N, Blair A, Vineis P, Ahrens W, Andersen A, Anto JM, Armstrong BK, Baccarelli AA, Beland FA, Berrington A, Bertazzi PA, Birnbaum LS, Brownson RC, Bucher JR, Cantor KP, Cardis E, Cherrie JW, Christiani DC, Cocco P, Coggon D, Comba P, Demers PA, Dement JM, Douwes J, Eisen EA, Engel LS, Fenske RA, Fleming LE, Fletcher T, Fontham E, Forastiere F, Frentzel-Beyme R, Fritschi L, Gerin M, Goldberg M, Grandjean P, Grimsrud TK, Gustavsson P, Haines A, Hartge P, Hansen J, Hauptmann M, Heederik D, Hemminki K, Hemon D, Hertz-Picciotto I, Hoppin JA, Huff J, Jarvholm B, Kang D, Karagas MR, Kjaerheim K, Kjuus H, Kogevinas M, Kriebel D, Kristensen P, Kromhout H, Laden F, Lebailly P, LeMasters G, Lubin JH, Lynch CF, Lynge E, ’t Mannetje A, McMichael AJ, McLaughlin JR, Marrett L, Martuzzi M, Merchant JA, Merler E, Merletti F, Miller A, Mirer FE, Monson R, Nordby K-C, Olshan AF, Parent M-E, Perera FP, Perry MJ, Pesatori AC, Pirastu R, Porta M, Pukkala E, Rice C, Richardson DB, Ritter L, Ritz B, Ronckers CM, Rushton L, Rusiecki JA, Rusyn I, Samet JM, Sandler DP, de Sanjose S, Schernhammer E, Costantini AS, Seixas N, Shy C, Siemiatycki J, Silverman DT, Simonato L, Smith AH, Smith MT, Spinelli JJ, Spitz MR, Stallones L, Stayner LT, Steenland K, Stenzel M, Stewart BW, Stewart PA, Symanski E, Terracini B, Tolbert PE, Vainio H, Vena J, Vermeulen R, Victora CG, Ward EM, Weinberg CR, Weisenburger D, Wesseling C, Weiderpass E, Zahm SH. IARC monographs: 40 years of evaluating carcinogenic hazards to humans. Environ Health Perspect. 2015 Jun;123(6):507–514.

Published In

Environ Health Perspect

DOI

EISSN

1552-9924

Publication Date

June 2015

Volume

123

Issue

6

Start / End Page

507 / 514

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Publications
  • Public Health
  • Neoplasms
  • International Agencies
  • Humans
  • Carcinogens, Environmental
  • Biomedical Research
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 41 Environmental sciences