Europeans have been using sunscreens with more-up-to-date protection than anything available in the U.S. market for nearly 15 years, and the media and public are starting to wonder why. ACS CAN has been working to raise awareness about this disturbing fact and improve the process for getting new sunscreen ingredients reviewed and approved. The FDA has not approved a single new over-the-counter sunscreen ingredient since the 1990s. Eight new sunscreen applications have been pending with the FDA since 2002, sitting on a shelf because the review process has completely broken down. FDA officials acknowledged that the current system is not working at a recent congressional hearing. What's at stake is more than just sun burns. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. More than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, many of which could be prevented by protecting the skin from sun exposure. Educating people about good sun safety behavior is important, and so is access to high-quality sunscreens that provide better sun protection and don't feel oily or sticky on the skin. That's what consumers in Europe enjoy today and have had for over a decade. It's simply not acceptable for the FDA to sit on applications for new products for over a decade without undertaking any sort of review. It's not fair to the companies that make these sunscreen products with the intent of providing consumers with a better, more effective product. And it's not fair to consumers who expect to have the best products that science can deliver. At ACS CAN we are working with our partners and Congress on legislation that would streamline the current FDA sunscreen ingredient review process. This would involve removing roadblocks and providing FDA with the tools necessary to evaluate and approve sunscreen ingredients for use in the U.S. that already have proven track records in places like Europe and Canada. We shouldn't have to wait 15 years for a product that our friends in Europe already know is safe and effective.
Even as Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, ACS CAN will keep working year-round, across the country and with both state and federal lawmakers, to advance the public policies we know will reduce the burden of breast cancer.