A January 31, 2005 Associated Press story describes the government's new list of "carcinogens," produced by the National Toxicology Program, but quotes ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan in a section about objections to the sweeping and poorly-prioritized structure of the list:
But the American College of Radiology faulted the addition of X-rays and gamma rays, saying it was misleading and could prompt patients to avoid getting needed care.
"X-rays and gamma rays are not substances that the general public has access or exposure to and do not belong on a list of substances that pose a risk to people in the course of their normal, daily lives," Dr. James Borgstede, chairman of the radiology college's board of chancellors, said in a statement.
New to the suspected category are substances that form when meats are cooked or grilled at high temperatures. Studies suggest an increased cancer risk when foods containing them are eaten.
But "does that mean you have to throw out your barbecue grill?" asked Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, a critic of the list from the American Council on Science and Health, a consumer education group.
She said the "not consumer friendly" list should include information on the types of exposures and dosages that cause cancer, as well as on the health benefits of some of the substances identified, such as tamoxifen, the breast cancer treatment pill.