DHSC Retracts Misleading Sunbed-Smoking Cancer Risk Comparison

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) was compelled to retract a misleading claim equating the cancer risk of sunbeds to that of smoking. In January, health officials announced stricter regulations for sunbeds, incorrectly stating they posed a cancer risk “as dangerous as smoking.” This comparison was widely disseminated through social media posts by the health secretary and NHS England, and subsequently reported by numerous media outlets.

The fact-checking organization Full Fact challenged the claim, concluding that the misleading information about cancer risk could inadvertently downplay the dangers of smoking. [1] While both smoking and sunbeds are established causes of cancer, the risks are not equivalent.

Cancer Risk Disparity

According to calculations by Cancer Research UK, smoking causes approximately 80 times more cancer cases in the UK than sunbeds. [1] Dr. Claire Knight, Senior Health Information Manager at Cancer Research UK, clarified that both UV radiation from sunbeds and tobacco are classified as ‘group 1’ carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, indicating strong evidence of their cancer-causing potential. However, this classification does not imply an equal number of cancer cases. [1] Tobacco has a significantly greater impact on cancer incidence.

Correction and Oversight

The DHSC corrected its announcement and removed the inaccurate comparison from its Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) posts in March, following intervention from the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). [1]

Leo Benedictus, a senior journalist at Full Fact specializing in science, data, and investigations, noted that the DHSC initially resisted correction when the issue was first brought to their attention. He emphasized the importance of accurate health information, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence, as AI chatbots may incorporate and disseminate inaccurate data. [1]

OSR Statement

The OSR stated that public bodies have a responsibility to communicate statistics accurately and avoid misleading interpretations. They confirmed that the DHSC took swift action to rectify the published information and committed to refrain from using the erroneous comparison in the future. [1]

A DHSC spokesperson acknowledged that sunbed use is dangerous but reiterated that smoking remains uniquely harmful and is the leading preventable cause of death, disability, and ill health. [1] They affirmed that both sunbeds and smoking are classified as group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization. [1] The DHSC added context to their original statement to reflect this clarification.