Reuters reports that the US Food and Drug Administration is beginning to tighten regulations on over-the-counter sunscreen. The agency is banning the ingredients trolamine salicylate and PABA from non-prescription sunscreen products, and will ask for additional data from the industry regarding 12 other ingredients. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said, “Broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of at least 15 are critical to the arsenal of tools for preventing skin cancer and protecting the skin from damage caused by the sun’s rays, yet some of the essential requirements for these preventive tools haven’t been updated in decades.”
The New York Post quotes Environmental Working Group senior scientist David Andrews, who said that the announcement “is going to completely overhaul the entire sunscreen market.” The regulations will require brands to provide disclaimers on the labels if a sunscreen has not been shown to aid in preventing cancer, and prohibit sunscreens featuring insect repellent.
CNN reports that the agency “has also asked the industry for additional testing on powders and noted that wipes, towelettes, body washes, shampoos and other dosage forms would be considered new drugs and have to go through the approval process.” Former president of the American Academy of Dermatology Dr. Henry Lim “said he applauds the FDA’s efforts to collect additional safety data for some of them but does not want people to stop wearing sunscreen over safety concerns,” adding, “We are quite comfortable with the types of sunscreens that we have in the United States at this time.”
From the news release of the American Association for Justice.
