How did the meat industry, government, and cancer control groups react to the confirmation that processed meats such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, and lunch meat cause cancer?
“Rarely in the history of a nation do we find good reasons to honor the generosity and altruism of governments and those in power. The birth of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is one of those rare occasions.” What started as a letter from a grieving husband describing his suffering led to an open letter calling on governments to allocate half of 1% of the military budget to attack and fight for life against one of the greatest epidemics to burden humanity. And 18 months later, IARC was born at the World Health Organization. What was your biggest motivation? Cancer prevention.
As I explain in my video, “IARC: Processed Meats Like Bacon Cause Cancer,” IARC is best known for its book-sized reports that evaluate whether suspected carcinogens actually cause cancer. These, like whether something is carcinogenic, are “generally accepted as close to the final word.” The 114th book, published in 2018, focused on meat. After reviewing more than 800 different studies and thoroughly reviewing the scientific literature, a group of 22 experts from 10 countries concluded their 500-page report by stating that “red meat consumption is probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A).” However, processed meat is classified as a most probable Group 1 carcinogen, meaning that eating processed meat causes cancer, according to the best available evidence.
This means that foods like bacon can cause cancer. Ham, hot dogs, breakfast links, and lunch meats cause cancer. However, that definition also includes things like deli turkey slices. Specifically, eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer, or cancer of the colon or rectum. It is the second deadliest cancer in the world after lung cancer, which is primarily caused by smoking. “Colorectal cancer is also the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States,” and it doesn’t just affect older people. It is also the leading cause of cancer and early cancer deaths.
The meat industry was not happy, calling it a “drastic and alarming overreach.” Speaking of dramatic and alarming overreach, an Italian agricultural organization issued a press release saying, “Let’s say no to meat terrorism.”
The gloves were off. Canada’s meat industry has put pressure on the government to cut funding to IARC and called on the Minister of Health to withdraw all funding from the agency after IARC dared to question meat. The US meat industry did the same. It is no surprise that IARC is “under siege by corporate interests” who are disputing Monsanto’s cancer assessment of Roundup pesticides and meat, seeking to discredit IARC and undermine its financial support. For example, internal documents reveal that Monsanto scientists “casually discuss ‘ghostwriting’ and suppressing scientific papers that contradict the company’s claims about Roundup’s safety.”
The chemical industry also joined the corporate cacophony, calling the IARC monograph “questionable and misleading.” These are classic strategies taken straight from the tobacco industry’s strategies. “But there is little to suggest that “Big Tobacco” as a corporate entity is fundamentally different from, say, “Big Booze” or “Big Food.”
One of the things companies often talk about is that they’ve never come across a carcinogen that IARC doesn’t like. However, the majority will eventually be classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans, or there is not enough data to make a decision either way. You can see it below and at 4:20 of my video.
The agency only spends its time investigating substances for which there is already “a body of existing scientific literature demonstrating the extent of their carcinogenicity to humans.” So it’s no wonder that many of them actually turn out to be carcinogenic.
How did IARC respond to all the criticism? The World Health Organization received questions, concerns, and requests for clarification after the publication of its report on meat and cancer. It basically answered, “Hey, we didn’t tell anyone to stop eating processed meat. It’s your body, your choice.” This report just showed that reducing your intake of these products can reduce your risk of a major cancer killer. So do you like cancer? You do.
IARC is simply a research organization that evaluates the evidence regarding the causes of cancer. After that, it’s up to you what you do with that information. The American Cancer Society has been kind and clear when it comes to alcohol. When it comes to cancer, it’s best not to drink alcohol. But the group is a little more wishful thinking when it comes to processed meat, suggesting people just need to limit their intake. The European Commission was a little more clear. To reduce your risk of cancer, you should eat lots of whole grains, legumes (beans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils), fruits, and vegetables. Limit sugar, fat, and salty foods. And definitely avoid soda, sausages, and other processed meats. After all, in response to the question of how much meat is safe to eat, IARC said it’s unclear whether a safe level exists.
doctor’s note
So how much cancer does processed meat cause? That video comes next.
And it’s not just cancer. For example, see “The Effects of Processed Meat on Lung Function.”
We previously covered Monsanto and its Roundup pesticide (now owned by Bayer). See related articles below.
