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Leahy And 5 Other Senators Want FDA To Block Misleading Sunscreens WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, May 18) — In an effort to ensure thatsunscreen labels are clear, accurate, and provide consumers withthe information they need to protect themselves, a group of U.S.senators, including Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and led bySenator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), is asking the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) to reverse course and put comprehensive newsunscreen standards into effect this summer. Leahy has long been a leader on cancer research, prevention andtreatment and is married to a cancer survivor, Marcelle Leahy.Marcelle Leahy, a Registered Nurse, survived skin cancer and hastaken her cancer prevention message to thousands, emphasizingsun-safety methods such as using and frequently reapplyingsunscreen. Because sunscreens have been considered a cosmetic, they havelargely avoided government oversight and the FDA has not changedits recommendations for sunscreen standards in more than 30 years. Last June, after years of prodding by Reed, the FDA orderedcomprehensive new sunscreen regulations that were scheduled to gointo effect on June 18, 2012. But this month the agency announcedit will now give sunscreen makers an extra six months to makechanges, meaning they will take effect this winter in mid-December,instead of this summer. This week Reed, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. John Kerry(D-Mass.), Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Sen. ChuckSchumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter asking the FDA to reverse therecent decision to delay these critical regulations and to do moreto ensure that consumers can purchase sunscreen products andproducts containing sun protection with the knowledge that theymeet FDA s enforceable standards. Among the changes FDA is supposed to make: In order for sunscreens to be labeled as "BroadSpectrum" they must block both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rayscause skin aging; UVB rays cause sunburn. Both can cause cancer. Products with SPFs below 15 must display a warning that it hasnot been shown to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging. The terms "sunblock," "sweatproof,"and "waterproof" will no longer permitted. Sunscreensmay claim to be "water-resistant" but labeling mustspecify whether they protect skin for 40 or 80 minutes of swimmingor sweating, based on standard testing. Products may no longer claim to provide sun protection formore than two hours without submitting test results to prove it. All sunscreens must include standard "Drug Facts"information on the back or side of the container. The text of the letter follows: Dear Commissioner Hamburg: We write to express our disappointment in a recent decision by theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) to delay compliance with thesunscreen regulations released last summer. Once again, the summermonths are upon us and millions of Americans will be spending timeoutdoors without adequate protection from the sun. FDA s decisionis a major step backward, and we strongly urge you to reverse it. FDA s announcement last year that new sunscreen testing andlabeling standards would be implemented this summer was a positivesignal to Americans that they would not go another summer withoutcritical protection from the sun. Unfortunately, delaying theimplementation of these standards by six months (for somemanufacturers and 18 months for others) will allow the deceptivepractices of the industry to continue. Americans will continue tothink they are truly protected from the sun, that a product is waterproof and sweatproof, and provides all dayprotection, when that isn t likely the case. FDA first looked into the deceptive practices of sunscreen productsover 30 years ago. Since then, the rate of melanoma in this countryhas doubled. According to the American Cancer Society, over twomillion individuals will be informed that they have a preventableform of skin cancer in 2012. When Americans purchase and useover-the-counter sunscreen products they assume they are protectedfrom harmful UVA and UVB rays, but the current protection that theyare afforded by these products could be misleading or worseinaccurate, according to the Environmental Working Group. Has FDAdetermined the effect that the delay in the new regulations willhave on public health? Has FDA analyzed the potential for confusionamong consumers due to conflicting announcements? FDA s decision to delay the implementation of these criticalregulations also draws attention to the agency s unfinishedbusiness regarding proposed regulations regarding the use of SunProtection Factor (SPF) numbers over 50, as well as the testing andlabeling of aerosol spray sunscreens. As you know, researchers havefound significant variability in the SPF numbers listed onsunscreen products and products containing sun protection that makeconsumers believe that they are being adequately protected from thesun. For example, one product with an SPF of 30 was found toprotect against 98 percent of the sun s UVB rays, while a productlabeled with a SPF of 100 may protect against 99 percent of thesun s rays. The larger the SPF number doesn t always result insignificantly better protection. Similarly, aerosol-based productsare becoming more popular among consumers, but may not provide thesame level of protection from the sun as lotion-based products. Itis critical that consumers have access to accurate information inorder to know they are purchasing a product that provides adequateprotection from the sun. Once again, we urge you to reverse the recent decision to delaythese critical regulations and to do more to ensure that consumerscan purchase sunscreen products and products containing sunprotection with the knowledge that they meet FDA s enforceablestandards. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forwardto your reply. Sincerely, Senators Reed, Schumer, Kerry, Leahy, Gillibrand, and Sanders. I am an expert from gardenartificialgrass.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Garden Artificial Grass , Outdoor Artificial Grass, Golf Artificial Grass,and more.
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