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)