Oct 10, 2014

13th Report on Carcinogens released, 243 new listings

This month the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 13th Report on Carcinogens (RoC). The RoC is a science-based, public health document prepared by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that identifies substances in our environment considered to be cancer hazards. Four substances are newly reviewed for this edition of the RoC, bringing the cumulative report total to 243 listings.

“Identifying substances in our environment that can make people vulnerable to cancer will help in prevention efforts,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP). “This report provides a valuable resource for health regulatory and research agencies, and it empowers the public with information people can use to reduce exposure to cancer causing substances.”

The Report on Carcinogens is a congressionally mandated report prepared for the HHS Secretary by NTP. The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, or exposures in two categories: known to be a human carcinogen and reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. The new report is available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc13 .

A listing in the report indicates a cancer hazard, but does not by itself mean that a substance will cause cancer. Many factors, including the amount and duration of exposure, and an individual’s susceptibility to a substance, can affect whether a person will develop cancer.