The Saccharin Controversy

Saccharin and its salts are the most extensively consumed artificial sweeteners in the United States today. The current controversy about the risks of their use to human health has surfaced from research findings that report an increased incidence of cancer, primarily of the urinary bladder, in certain animal species and man chronically exposed to these agents. The April 1977 proposal by the Food and Drug Administration to restrict use of saccharin was based on these investigations. The intense public response against any ban has led to Congressional deliberations over the fate of saccharin during the present moratorium and information-gathering period. Since diabetic patients are among the principal users of this compound, it appears timely to review the evidence for and against its carcinogenic potential.