The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) told Xinhua News Agency on August 3 that it has started to collect data to assess possible carcinogenic effects of some contraceptive pills following the findings of a WHO agency report.

The SFDA said they would notify the public if their studies conform to the findings of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

On July 29, the IARC published the results of a review of research into whether combined estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives and menopausal therapy increased the chance of developing cancer.

It concluded that oral contraceptives increased the risk of developing breast, cervical and liver cancers, but that this risk decreased after stopping use. Previously they had only been implicated in causing liver cancer.

The review also found the chances of endometrial and ovarian cancers developing were reduced amongst users.

An official named Lu at the family planning commission in Hangzhou, capital of the eastern province of Zhejiang, said he believed using contraceptive pills is safe as those which are used in China are of small dosage.
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Gynecologists recommend that women take small doses of contraceptive pills, have a medical checkup and get advice from their doctor.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2005)