WHO cancer agency flags 3 widely used medicines as carcinogenic to humans

07-Aug-2026

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The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified hydrochlorothiazide, voriconazole, and tacrolimus as Group 1 carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer in humans. 

Hydrochlorothiazide links to skin and lip cancers; voriconazole to skin cancer; tacrolimus to lymphoma and other cancers. Despite this, these essential medicines remain vital under medical supervision. 

The classification aims to inform clinicians for better patient counseling and risk management, not to halt usage, emphasizing continued treatment and precautions like UV protection.