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What does the IARC Monographs Programme do?

Posted Date:2025/5/6 1

What does the IARC Monographs Programme do?

The IARC Monographs Programme identifies and evaluates the preventable causes of cancer in humans. Since 1971, more than 1000 agents have been evaluated.

What types of agents or substances are evaluated?

The IARC Monographs Programme evaluates chemicals (e.g. formaldehyde), complex mixtures (e.g. air pollution), occupational exposures (e.g. work in coke production), physical agents (e.g. solar radiation), biological agents (e.g. hepatitis B virus), pharmaceuticals (e.g. diethylstilbestrol), and other important factors (e.g. tobacco smoking).

How does the IARC Monographs Programme choose which agents to evaluate?

On the basis of the recommendations of an independent Advisory Group of international experts, the IARC Monographs Programme evaluates agents that are suspected to cause cancer. Agents are recommended for evaluation when there is evidence that people may be exposed, and when there is also scientific evidence available to evaluate carcinogenicity. In 2019, an Advisory Group recommended a wide variety of agents or substances for a new or updated evaluation by the IARC Monographs Programme. These agents may have different impacts on public health. For example, air pollution has a high impact because everyone is exposed to air pollution at some level, even if exposure levels are generally low. In contrast, occupational exposures, such as those involved in firefighting, may be very high and can therefore have a marked public health impact even if fewer people are exposed through their work.