Hydrochlorothiazide is Linked to Skin Cancer
The Claim
The high blood pressure medication hydrochlorothiazide can cause skin cancer.
News posted on
Emerging story
On March 7, 2021, the alternative health website Alliance for Advanced Health published an article titled “[WARNING] This Drug Could Give You Skin Cancer!” The drug the article was referring to was hydrochlorothiazide, a blood pressure medication that lowers high blood pressure. The claim soon took off on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation shows that a 2017 study published in PubMed.gov stated that the drug was strongly associated with a risk of lip cancer. A 2020 review on the same website concluded that the drug may increase the risk of skin cancer.
On August 20, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved a label change on hydrochlorothiazide “to inform health care professionals and patients about a small increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.” An FDA study also discovered that the risk was one in 16,000 patients who were taking hydrochlorothiazide. The source also notes that treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer is usually successful, whereas uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to heart attacks or stroke. This means that for many patients, the benefits of hydrochlorothiazide outweigh the risks.
