ACC Applauds House Oversight Investigation Into Possible Scientific Fraud by IARC Officials

WASHINGTON (August 8, 2017) – The American Chemistry Council (ACC) applauds the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s (OGR) investigation into irregularities at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). OGR Chairman, Trey Gowdy, joins the growing chorus of scientists, policymakers, and organizations worldwide calling for further oversight into IARC’s methodologies and fundamental reform of IARC’s Monographs program.

“I applaud Chairman Gowdy for launching this investigation into the possible manipulation of science by the IARC Monographs program,” said Cal Dooley, ACC President and CEO. “The potential omission of critical studies from a recent monograph underscores the systematic problems that exist within the Monographs program and the impact their controversial findings have on public health. ACC has long held that this program is responsible for countless misleading headlines and inaccurate perceptions about the safety of the food we eat, the jobs we do, and the products we use in our daily lives.” 

Earlier this year, ACC called for an investigation into IARC officials after it was reported IARC Committee Chairman, Dr. Aaron Blair, suppressed data from the Agricultural Health Study. The research Blair admits, likely would have altered the cancer agency’s classification of glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.”

“There is an urgent need to fundamentally reform IARC’s Monographs program in order to stop the public confusion and hysteria around cancer prevention,” continued Dooley. “We encourage all countries and organizations that support the Monographs program to join us in calling for an investigation into whether IARC officials knowingly withheld data that proved a lack of association between glyphosate and cancer. Other IARC Monographs should also be evaluated to determine whether similar manipulation has taken place.” 

ACC’s Campaign for Accuracy in Public Health Research (CAPHR), seeks reform of the IARC Monographs Program, which evaluate the carcinogenic hazard of substances and behaviors rather than the actual risk a substance poses from every day, real-world exposure. 

To learn more visit campaignforaccuracyinpublichealthresearch.com.