The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has withdrawn a misleading statement that sunbeds pose a cancer risk comparable to smoking.
In January, officials announced tighter regulations for sunbeds, wrongly asserting they were “as dangerous as smoking”. The claim was echoed in social‑media posts from the health secretary and NHS England and was picked up by several news outlets.
Fact‑checking body Full Fact judged the assertion inaccurate, concluding that “misleading information about cancer risk … makes smoking appear less harmful than it actually is”.
Both smoking and sunbeds can cause cancer, but the levels of risk differ.
Calculations from Cancer Research UK indicate that smoking is responsible for roughly 80 times more cancer cases than sunbeds in the United Kingdom.
Dr Claire Knight, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, explained: “The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies UV radiation from sunbeds and tobacco as ‘group 1’ carcinogens, meaning there is strong evidence each can cause cancer. That does not mean they generate the same number of cases. Tobacco has a far larger impact on cancer incidence.”
The episode is likely to be a source of embarrassment for the DHSC, which is expected to provide the public with reliable health data.
It was only in March, after the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) intervened, that the department amended its announcement and its Instagram and Facebook posts, and removed the related tweet on X.
Leo Benedictus, a senior journalist covering science, data and investigations at Full Fact, said: “The DHSC chose not to correct the error when we first raised it, so it is fortunate that the OSR persuaded them to change course.
“This goes beyond a matter of principle. Incorrect information from health authorities can be hazardous if it persists online, because AI chatbots may retrieve it and present it as trustworthy advice.”
The OSR stated: “Public bodies must present statistics clearly and accurately and avoid using them in ways that could mislead. After our engagement, the DHSC acted promptly to rectify the comparison between sunbeds and smoking and has pledged not to repeat it.”
A DHSC spokesperson commented: “Using sunbeds is risky, but smoking is uniquely harmful and remains the leading preventable cause of death, disability and ill health.
“The World Health Organization has placed UV‑emitting devices such as sunbeds in group 1 carcinogens – the same category as other cancer‑causing hazards, including smoking.
“We have revised our original wording to provide additional context.”
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