FASD United is encouraged by the U.S. Surgeon General’s continued efforts to address the public health impacts of alcohol, culminating in a much-publicized new advisory on alcohol’s links to various forms of cancer.  While this new advisory on cancer risk is rightly drawing substantial attention from the public and in the media, we must stay vigilant of the need for expanded awareness of the prevalence and impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and FASD. 

The Surgeon General notes that “less than half of Americans recognize [alcohol] as a risk factor for cancer.”  Public awareness is also lagging when it comes to the risks associated with alcohol use during pregnancy.  While there is substantial research on alcohol’s harmful effects during pregnancy, much of the public continues to doubt the medical consensus that no amount of PAE is safe. There is clearly a great need for a comprehensive public awareness campaign on alcohol and health, including during pregnancy. 

Tackling the public health impacts of alcohol is a team effort. We know that efforts to address PAE are enhanced through partnerships and collaboration, and we value our longstanding partnership with NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), which supports research on the health effects of alcohol, including research on PAE and FASD, as well as cancer and other health impacts. Effective public health campaigns can improve outcomes across the board.  Tools like alcohol screening and referrals to treatment have been shown to reduce PAE while also reducing other harms, such as cancer and alcohol’s impacts on heart and liver health. 

The new Government advisory also calls for “updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages” which in its current form makes specific mention of pregnancy and reads as follows: 
 
“GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.” 

While FASD United is not proposing a change to alcohol warning labels at this time, we recognize the importance of language and in ensuring that health advisories and warning labels are regularly checked for accuracy and effectiveness and updated when appropriate.  For more information on the use of language, please refer to our newly released Language and Stigma Guide. 

FASD United continues to work with public health agencies, including our longtime partners at the NIAAA and CDC, to ensure that PAE and FASD receive more awareness and recognition.  We are committed to doing our part to mitigate the public health impacts of alcohol, support people with FASD, and support the ongoing efforts across systems and disciplines to address alcohol in a holistic and comprehensive way.