Fact-checking claims WHO has just listed the pill as a carcinogen
'The pill is now classified as a level-one carcinogen. Like tobacco. Like alcohol. Like drugs,' one TikToker claims, prompting alarm among users of the platform. Others urge their followers to stop taking the pill altogether.
Euroverify has investigated these claims and found that, while the WHO's specialised cancer agency does consider some types of contraception pills to be carcinogenic to humans, the reality is much more nuanced.
Certain contraceptive pills listed as carcinogens since 2005
It's not true that the WHO has 'just' classified the pill as a carcinogen, as TikTok users have claimed.
In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – the WHO's French-headquartered cancer agency – has included certain contraceptive pills on its list of substances 'carcinogenic to humans' since 2005.
That list, known as Group 1, includes substances where 'sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity' has been demonstrated in 'studies in which chance, bias, and confounding were ruled out with reasonable confidence".
There are two main types of the hormonal contraceptive pill: the combined pill, which contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen, and the mini pill, which contains progestogen only.
Only the combined pill is included on the WHO's so-called Group 1, meaning there's sufficient evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.
The mini pill is currently categorised in the IARC's Group 2B, meaning it's considered "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
Several studies, however, have found that both of these pills slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in women.
For example, a 2023 study by Oxford University's Cancer Epidemiology Unit found that any type of hormonal contraceptive may increase the risk of breast cancer, and estimated that use of the mini pill is associated with 'a 20-30% higher risk of breast cancer".
But there is also data to suggest the contraceptive pill can reduce the risk of other types of cancer, such as endometrial, colorectal and bowel cancers.
It means the relationship between cancer and the contraceptive pill is much more complex than meets the eye.
The pill is not considered 'as carcinogenic' as alcohol, tobacco and asbestos
We detected several TikTok videos published in recent weeks claiming that the WHO considers the contraceptive pill "as carcinogenic" to humans as alcohol, tobacco and asbestos.
This claim is misleading.
The IARC's Group 1 includes all the substances for which there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, such as alcohol, tobacco and asbestos, as well as processed meats, sunlight radiation and certain viruses like Hepatitis B and C.
But this doesn't mean in any way that all substances on the list carry the same risk level. It simply means there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the claim that they are all carcinogenic to humans.
The IARC does not classify substances according to level of carcinogenicity, but rather according to the strength of the scientific evidence to support its link to an increased risk of cancer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
4 hours ago
- LeMonde
How to combat 'sloth syndrome' and get moving
"It's like therapy, without a therapist." "It helps me come up with better ideas and solutions to a problem." "It connects me to myself and to others." These are just a few of the responses from European citizens to a simple question posed by the World Health Organization (WHO): Why do you love walking or cycling? Launched one month ago by WHO Europe to mark World Bicycle Day on June 3, the campaign "Let's Get Moving! 100 Reasons to Walk and Cycle More" went somewhat unnoticed. Yet, this list could have been a great way to find motivation to walk or cycle more. First, not only does one's physical and mental health experience benefits from this type of exercise, but so does the environment, the economy and even community cohesion. The health arguments alone should be compelling. "In the WHO European Region, physical inactivity is linked to approximately one million deaths each year, with nearly 25% of adults failing to meet WHO's recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity throughout the week," the United Nations agency emphasized in the campaign's presentation.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Paris opens the Seine for swimming after 100 years: But is it safe?
Public swimming in Paris' Seine River is due to make a comeback over a century after it was banned with just a few exceptions. Starting on 5 July, three public swimming sites will open along the Seine River - one near Notre Dame, another by the Eiffel Tower, and a third in eastern Paris. The reopening is part of one of the French capital'ns most ambitious Olympic legacies. At a cost of around $1.5 billion (€1.27bn), the river has undergone a massive cleanup operation to transform it from a polluted, boat-choked artery into a swimmable urban oasis. The sites will be free to use, supervised by lifeguards, and will operate on a daily schedule throughout the summer. A colour-coded flag system - green for safe, red for nope - will let visitors know whether it's swim time or sunbathe-only time. But many Parisians remain hesitant on whether or not to take the plunge. The Seine's surface can still appear murky, litter floats by, and bacteria levels are known to fluctuate with the weather. Dan Angelescu, a scientist and founder of Fluidion, has been independently testing the river's water quality for years. He warns that the current official testing methods may not accurately reflect the real-time risks: "What we see is that the water quality in the Seine is highly variable and it is, there are only a few days in a swimming season where I would say water quality is acceptable for swimming, according to the regulations currently in place." "All we can say is that we can raise a hand and say look, the science today does not support the current assessment of water safety used in the in the rivers around Paris, and we think that there is major risk that is not being captured at all." But with over 35 species of fish now calling the Seine home - compared to just a handful in the 1970s - it's clear the cleanup has had an impact. But whether Parisians will follow the fish into the water remains to be seen. Check out the video above for more on the Seine swimming initiative.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
WHO wants higher taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks
Global health officials want countries to raise so-called 'sin taxes' in a bid to reduce the burden of chronic diseases linked to diet and lifestyle – and are suggesting countries direct the money raised to their cash-strapped health systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to raise prices on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50 per cent over the next decade. It said the tax hike could prevent 50 million premature deaths over the next 50 years and generate $1 trillion (€854.4 billion) in public funding over the next 10 years. Tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks are some of the key drivers of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, which account for about 75 per cent of all deaths worldwide. Tobacco alone causes more than seven million deaths per year. The WHO has long pushed for tax increases to discourage people from buying these products. For tobacco, it recommends a minimum tax rate of 75 per cent. In wealthy countries, taxes already account for about 67 per cent of the price of a pack of cigarettes, compared with about 57 per cent in lower-income countries. 'Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have,' Dr Jeremy Farrar, who leads the WHO's work on health promotion and disease prevention, said in a statement. 'They cut the consumption of harmful products and create revenue [that] governments can reinvest in health care, education, and social protection,' he added. Research indicates tobacco taxes help reduce smoking rates, particularly in lower-income countries. But recent data from the Netherlands indicates that higher taxes may no longer be enough to get smokers in small, wealthy countries to quit. After the Netherlands raised tobacco taxes last year, many Dutch smokers simply started buying cheaper products abroad, according to the country's health agency. The European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, is now considering raising taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products across the bloc, amid pressure from the Netherlands and more than a dozen member states. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's 2016 sugar tax prompted many soft drink manufacturers to change their products. As a result, children's added sugar intake from these drinks dropped by nearly half. Beyond the potential behavioural changes, the WHO said taxes on these products could be one way for lower-income countries to make up for aid cuts from the United States, the UK, and elsewhere. Around the world, 'health systems are under enormous strain from rising noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), shrinking development aid and growing public debt,' the organisation said.
