The National Toxicology Program, headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, today announced the addition of 14 substancesincluding several diesel combustion productsto the 184 already included in the federal governments official list of known or "anticipated" human carcinogens. The 14 new substances, as well as one reclassified substance, will appear in the Eighth Report on Carcinogens, a Congressionally mandated report to Congress.
Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., Director of NTP and NIEHS, said, "The report identifies public health hazards but does not in-and-of-itself restrict substances. Never-the-less, regulatory agencies and Congress take note and may take action in cases where the substances are not already regulated.
"The report," he continued, "is not necessarily a condemnation, in that some substances such as the newly listed transplant drug cyclosporin have health benefits, when properly used, that can far exceed their potential risk."
Cyclosporins labeling already calls attention to studies indicating a potential cancer risk. The drug is used to help prevent rejection of a transplanted kidney or other organ by its new host.
A second prescription drug for a life-threatening condition, thiotepa, is also newly listed as a known human carcinogen. It was previously listed as an anticipated human carcinogen.
The Report on Carcinogens is prepared by the National Toxicology
Program, which is headquartered at the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The reports
are prepared with the help of NIEHS and NTP-participating agenciesthe
National Cancer Institute, the Food and Drug Administration, the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Environmental Protection
Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the
Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, as well as the NTPs Board of Scientific Coun
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Contact: Sandy Lange
Lange@niehs.nih.gov
(919) 541-0530
NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
14-May-1998