Dear colleagues and partners,
We are pleased to inform you that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has released a significant new evaluation: IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20B, focusing on the effectiveness of alcohol policies in reducing population-level consumption.
This comprehensive assessment confirms that specific policy interventions, such as increasing taxes and minimum pricing, restricting availability, enforcing strong marketing bans, and implementing coordinated national strategies are effective in reducing alcohol consumption. These findings support the implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and reinforce the role of policy in cancer prevention.
We encourage you to explore and share the report and its accompanying resources:
- Special Report in The New England Journal of Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsr2413289 I
- ARC Press Release: https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/iarc-handbooks-of-cancer-prevention-volume-20b-the-iarc-perspective-on-the-effects-of-alcohol-policies-on-reducing-alcoholic-beverage-consumption/
- Infographic: https://www.iarc.who.int/infographics/iarc-handbooks-volume-20b-alcohol-policies/
We invite you to disseminate this information within your networks and consider how these evidence-based policies can be integrated into your national and regional strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm and prevent cancer.
For further information or collaboration opportunities, please feel free to contact the IARC communications focal point Veronique Terrasse [email protected].
Best regards,
Francisca Pulido Valente
Consultant
Alcohol, Illicit Drugs and Prison Health
Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation,
WHO Regional Office for Europe | www.who.int/europe
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