National Toxicology Program
Procedures Were Followed in Listing Alcoholic Beverage Consumption as a Known Carcinogen Gao ID: RCED-00-246R July 28, 2000Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Toxicology Program (NTP), focusing on: (1) the procedures NTP uses to list a substance as either a known or a reasonably anticipated human carcinogen; and (2) whether NTP followed its procedures in determining to list alcoholic beverage consumption as a known human carcinogen.
GAO noted that: (1) the procedures used by NTP to make listing decisions constitute a comprehensive, multistep process; (2) among other things, these procedures provide for the careful consideration of relevant scientific literature, input from leading scientists representing a variety of disciplines, and repeated opportunities for industry and public comment; and (3) NTP consistently applied its listing procedures in deciding to list alcoholic beverage consumption as a known human carcinogen.