{
  "id": 128394,
  "title": "Three common medicines classified as carcinogenic by WHO cancer agency",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/three-common-medicines-classified-as-carcinogenic-by-who-cancer-agency",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-04T12:02:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu Health",
    "slug": "the-hindu-health",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/three-common-medicines-classified-as-carcinogenic-by-who-cancer-agency/article71304877.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Three commonly prescribed medicines, including hydrochlorothiazide for hypertension, voriconazole for fungal infections, and tacrolimus for organ transplant rejection, have been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organisation (WHO) cancer research agency. While the classification serves as a hazard identification, it should not prompt patients to discontinue their treatment without consulting their doctors. The assessment, published in the IARC Monographs, confirms that hydrochlorothiazide causes squamous cell skin carcinoma and lip cancer due to phototoxicity, increasing skin sensitivity to UV radiation. Voriconazole is linked to squamous cell skin carcinoma in transplant recipients through the same mechanism, and tacrolimus is associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, as well as potentially leukaemia and skin carcinoma due to immunosuppression. Experts emphasize the relevance of the IARC classification, particularly in India, where these drugs are commonly used and inappropriate prescribing practices remain a challenge.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu Health",
        "title": "Three common medicines classified as carcinogenic by IARC; experts urge patients not to stop treatment | Explained",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/three-common-medicines-classified-as-carcinogenic-by-iarc-experts",
        "published": "2026-08-05T02:36:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}