Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment Annual Report 2022

Preface

Head and shoulders image of Professor David Harrison in front of a grey background wearing a white shirt with a blue and yellow striped tie.

The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) evaluates chemicals for their potential to cause cancer in humans at the request of UK Government Departments and Agencies.

The membership of the Committee, agendas and minutes of meetings, and statements are all published on the internet: Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In practice the work of the Committee is divided into three sections: (i) response to enquiries regarding specific chemicals or classes of chemicals; (ii) revision and updating of guideline documents that inform industry, regulators and public on what kinds of evidence help to determine the potential to cause cancer and how to evaluate them; (iii) review of underpinning science and recent technology to see if we can develop more appropriate, safe ways to assess the potential of chemicals to cause cancer, thereby increasing safety, reducing use of animals, increasing speed and reducing costs.

I am grateful to Members, Secretariat and other advisors and contributors, without all of whom the Committee could not operate effectively.

Professor David Harrison

MD DSc FRCPath FRCPEd FRCSEd