Report postpones linking moderate drinking to cancer by HHS

The withdrawal of a government-commissioned study titled "Alcohol Intake and Health Study" has sparked controversy, with accusations of siding with alcohol companies and burying the information about health consequences. The study, initially intended for Congress, was one of two reviews meant to inform the next U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the withdrawal of the study, citing unspecified reasons. The authors of the withdrawn alcohol and health study and the academic journal in which the study will likely be published cannot be identified from the provided search results.

The study found that moderate drinking, while linked to small benefits like lower diabetes risk for women and reduced stroke risk, also increases the risk of various cancers and poses a significant risk of premature death. Men facing a roughly 1-in-25 chance of death from alcohol with two drinks a day, according to the report.

Moreover, the study found that even low levels of alcohol consumption increase the likelihood of liver disease, oral and esophageal cancers, and premature death. This contrasts with a competing report from the National Academies of Sciences, which endorsed the view that moderate drinking can be beneficial, particularly for heart health.

Industry groups welcomed the findings of the National Academies report, while advocacy groups accused the government of siding with alcohol companies by withdrawing the "Alcohol Intake and Health Study." Mike Marshall of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance stated that the report was being buried to prevent the information about health consequences from being widely known.

It is worth noting that some panel members of the National Academies report had financial ties to alcohol producers. Researchers behind the withdrawn study plan to submit it for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The withdrawal of the study was reported by The New York Times on Friday, adding fuel to the ongoing debate about the role of alcohol in public health. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are expected to be released in 2020, and the controversy surrounding the "Alcohol Intake and Health Study" may have significant implications for the final recommendations.