Push to make approval of new sunscreen ingredients easier
MIAMI - Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer but that doesn't mean you should put the sunscreen away.
While there are so many to choose from, there's a push to change the products because they may not be as effective as the sun protection available in other countries.
Sunscreen protects against skin cancer as well as skin aging. A 2017 study from Memorial Sloan Kettering found around half of the products in the U.S. offered less protection from harmful UV rays than versions from Europe.
Dermatologist Dr. Anthony Rossi said that's because fewer active ingredients are approved in the U.S.
"There are more widely available chemical filters that actually have a broader range of protection, both against the UVA and the UVB rays," he said.
It's been more than two decades since a new chemical UV filter for sunscreen was approved in the U.S.
Sunscreen here is regulated as a drug, which means potential new ingredients undergo extensive safety and efficacy testing. Sunscreen in other parts of the world is regulated as a cosmetic, a much simpler process.
"I would definitely like to see those ingredients that are available in the European Union and in Asia to be tested here and to be able to be used in our formulas here," said Rossi.
Some lawmakers and advocates are calling for reform to make approving new sunscreen ingredients easier.
"I think that campaign is really bringing awareness to photoprotection and protection against skin cancer, but also the need for a faster approval process," said Rossi.
In the meantime, he said U.S. broad spectrum sunscreens still offer great protection, so the best way to stay safe in the sun is to keep re-applying.
The authors of the 2017 study acknowledged that a limitation of their study is that it only evaluated a small number of sunscreen products.