DOCUMENT RESUME ED 179.207 PS 011 017 TITLE The Petal Alcoho3 Syndrome Public Awareness Campaign, 1979: Progress P/Jport Concerning the Idvance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Warning Labelscn Containers of Alcoholic Beverages and Addendum. INSTITUTION Department of the Treasury, Washingtor, D.C.: National Inst. on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (DHEW/PHS), Rockville, Md. PUB DATE Feb 79 NOTE 251p. AVAILABLE FROM Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (Stock No. 048-012-0004B-5, $4.50) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTOiS *Alcoholism: Anomalies: Consumer Education: *Consumer Protertion: *Federal Government: Infants: Merchandise Information: Mothers: *Policy; *Prenatal Influences IDENTIFIERS *Fetal Alcohol syndrome: *Teratogenic Risk ABSTRACT This report provides expert opirictcr the problems of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and ways to inf.orm the public of teratogenic risk of alcohol consumption during pregnarcy. In the absence of firm evidence that moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages leads to FAS and uncertainty concerning the effectiveness of labeling of alcoholic beverages, a decisionon these problems was made by the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms. It was decided that the Bureau would work with appropriate federal agencies, with members of allsegments of the alcoholic beverage industry, and with other interestedgroups to develop and implement a program of putlic educatior rather than require product labeling at this time. The report includes summaries of experts, comments and an outline of the plan cf action toeducate the public. Addenda to the report includea review of scientific findings related to alcohol ingestion and fetal outcomes, plusthe full teXtS of the experts, reports. Extensive referencesto the related literature are included. (Author/RH) ********************************************************************4** Reproductions supplied by EDES are the best thatcan he made from the original document. *********************************************************************** "; S OEPAEITAAEAT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION TH,S DOCuTAEN TTAS SEEN REPRO CAKED exAcTt Y AS RECEIVED F ROM Fmf PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN ATNc. I7 POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATE DO NOY NECETAARIL V'REFIRE SE NY T CIAL NATIONAL IN,LY.TL,TI OT I Out A 1 ION POSITION ON POL IC Y THE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 1979 PROGRESS REPORT CONCERNING THE ADVANCE NOTICE OFPROPOSED RULEMAKING ON WARNING LABELS ON CONTAINERSOF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ADDENDUM L T Printed for the use of the Department of Treasury, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Cf.) the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Washington: Feburarv 1979 For sik by the euperintendsnt or Documents, U.11. Printing Mee, Washington. D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Text of Progress Report: The Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Public Awareness Campaign 1 Addendum to Progress Report A. "Scientific Review ofResponses to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Warning Labels on Containers of Alcoholic Beverages," by Gilbert S. Omenn, M.D., Ph.D., Robert Dixon, M.D., and John Ball, M.D., from the Human Resources and Social and Economic Services, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, Washington, D.0 21 B. THE FABRO REPORT: "Alcoholic Beverage Consumption and Outcome of Pregnancy," by Sergio E. Fabro, M.D., Ph.D., from the Fetal-Maternal Division, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 35 C. THE HALL REPORT, letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms from Judith G. Hall, M.D., Division of Medical Genetics, Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 201 D. THE ETZIONI REPORT: "A Systematic and Graduated Response," by Amitai Etzioni, Ph.D., Center for Policy Research, Inc., New York, New York 223 1 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco.and Firearms [27 CFR Parts 4, 5, and7] [Notice No. 318; Re: Notice No. 316] THE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN Progress Report AGENCY: The Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaccoand Firearms (the Department). ACTION: Progress report on the advance notice of proposedrulemaking (NoticeNo. 316; 43 FR 2186). SUMMARY: TheDepartmenthas concluded that thereis a need for a publicawareness campaign which educates the public about the possible dangers that consumption of liquor, beer,and wine by a pregnantwoman canpresenttoan unborn child. Because of the nature of the evidence now available as to the possibledangers,it is not yet clear that warning labelson alcoholic beverage containers would be the besttool to educate the public;and because the Department wants in all instances to avoid unnecessary governmentregula- tion, it is encouragingthe alcoholicbeverage industry to work with theGovernment and private interest groups to educate the public about the possible dangers. If, after a reasonable period of time, theDepartment doesnot find thatthese efforts to provide publicinformation have been successful or that more precise medical evidence becomes available, the proposal to require a warning label on all alcoholic beverage containers will be reconsidered. ADDRESSES: Copies of this progress reportare available to interested parties by writing to: Director Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco andFirearms Post Office Box 385 Washington, D.C. 20044 4 2 (Attention: Chief, Regulations and Procedures Division; Notice No. 318) Copies of the addendum to this progress report, which includes the experts' reports and the analysis from the the Office of Science and TechnologyPolicy, the Executive Officeof the President, are available for public inspection at the following reading rooms from 8:30a.m. to 5:00 p.m. BUREAU HEADQUARTERS ATF Reading Room, Room 4408 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Washington, D.C. CENTRAL REGION ATF Reading Room, Room 6519 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Federal Office Building 550 Main Street Cincinnati, Ohio MID-ATLANTIC REGION ATF Reading Room, Third Floor Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 2 Penn Center Plaza Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MIDWEST REGION ATF Reading Room Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 230 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois NORTH-ATLANTIC REGION ATF Reading Room, Sixth Floor Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 6 World Trade Center New York, New York 3 SOUTHWEST REGION ATF Reading Room, Room 345 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco andFirearms Main Tower Building 1200 Main Street Dallas, Texas SOUTHEAST REGION ATF Reading Room Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 3835 Northeast Expressway Atlanta, Georgia WMSTERN REGION ATF Reading Room, Thirty-fourthFloor Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 525 Market Street San Francisco, California FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles N. Bacon or Armida N. Stickney at 202-566-7626. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. BACKGROUND The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on January 16, 1978,an advance notice of proposed rulemaking concerning warning labelson containers of alcoholic beverages. This advance notice requested information to assist ATFin deciding whether the current regulations should be amended to require a warning labelon alcoholic beverage containers, concerning the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women and the possibleresulting birth defects in their newbornirfants. ATF received over 3,000 comments from consumers, special interest groups, industry, doctors, and scientific researchers. The majority of those who wrote said they were opposed to a warning label. 4 The majority of these commentswere from con- sumers (2,772). Most of the consumers opposed the warninglabel, particularly for wine containers. Industry members were also opposed to a warning label onthe groundsthat, atmost, the fetal alcohol syndrome applies only to excessive users of alcohol and that the warning label would be costly and ineffective. The medical profession was divided on the issue; many practitioners felt that moderate use of alcohol during pregnancy has been beneficial while some researchers felt that there is clear evidence linking alcohol use by moderate drinkers to the fetal alcohol syndrome. Several objected,because warninglabels wouldincrease feelings of guilt by thosewomen who had consumed alcohol during pregnancy and produced children with birth defects. A general consensus of those opposed was that it is the doctor's responsibility to advise about health hazardsratherthan the Government's and that any measure by the Government would constitute over-regulation. Many of the comments from doctors and consumers opposing warning labels originated from California, with at least 500 form letters coming from employees of wineries in California. Those in favorofwarninglabelsfeltthat alcohol consumption by pregnant women ispoten- tiallydangerous to theirchildren and that a warning label would have a significant effect upon alcohol consumption by these women. They also felt that, in addition,a broad education program for pregnant women should be sponsored by both private concernsandtheGovernment. Others, including women's groups, churches, alcoholismprevention groups, and social service agencies, thought that the proposal was a positive step forward and that a warning label would contribute to better health both forinfants and forthe public in general. It was also felt that consumers havea right to know