The Preamble to the IARC Monographs describes the objective and scope of the programme, the scientific principles and procedures used in developing a Monograph, the types of evidence considered and the scientific criteria that guide the evaluations.

The Preamble should be consulted when reading a Monograph or list of evaluations. It is strongly recommended to consult the complete Monographs on these agents, the publication date, and the list of studies considered. Significant new information might support a different classification.

For agents that have not been classified, no determination of non-carcinogenicity or overall safety should be inferred.

Table Last Update 14.07.2023