EPA, FDA, CDC and the National Council on Skin Cancer
Prevention are declaring this Friday “Don’t Fry Day” to promote skin cancer
awareness. According to CDC director Tom Frieden, if current trends continue,
one in five Americans will get skin cancer in his or her lifetime.
To help consumers protect themselves from health risks
associated with UV overexposure, the FDA has issued new labeling rules for
sunscreen products:
- Sunscreens can be labeled “Broad Spectrum” if they are proven to protect against both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
- Sunscreen products cannot state that they reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging when used as directed unless they meet the criteria for being called “Broad Spectrum” and have a Sunscreen Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
- Any product that is not “Broad Spectrum” or has an SPF below 15 must have a warning stating that it has not been proven to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging.
- Water resistance claims on the front labels of sunscreen products must indicate the length of time for which the product remains effective while swimming or sweating.