The International Agency for Research on Cancer was established in May 1965, through a resolution of the Eighteenth World Health Assembly, as an extension of the World Health Organization, after a French initiative. IARC’s founding members were the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The Agency’s headquarters building was provided by its host country and is located in Lyon, France.
Today, IARC’s membership has grown to 29 countries (founding States plus Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Norway, the Netherlands, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland).