The Short Version
The blanket claim that aspartame is harmful to human health overstates the evidence. The world's leading food safety authorities—WHO/JECFA and EFSA—have concluded aspartame is safe for the general population within established daily intake limits. IARC classified it as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B), but this reflects limited, inconclusive evidence of a hazard, not proven harm at typical consumption levels. Some emerging research suggests potential concerns at high doses, but these findings are associative, not causal. The claim lacks critical context about dose, population, and scientific uncertainty.