FDA crackdown: Most sunscreens 'bamboozle' consumers

February 23, 2019 20:43

The FDA is cracking down on the vast majority of sunscreens on shelves now, many of which contain chemicals that may not be safe for us and have been falsely claiming better sun protection for years, according to proposed regulations released Thursday.

“This is going to completely overhaul the entire sunscreen market,” says David Andrews, the senior scientist at the watchdog organization Environmental Working Group, which releases a yearly guide of safe sunscreens and held a conference call about the news Thursday.

If passed, the FDA would require more testing on sunscreen and cast doubt on most of the 16 marketed active ingredients in sunscreens. Only two ingredients are generally recognized as safe — zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. (Check your sunscreen now — those two should be listed as active ingredients).

The rest of the ingredients will need more research to prove their safety. For example, oxybenzone may be an endocrine disruptor, meaning it’s a chemical that can cause cancer and birth defects. Recent research has shown that it’s absorbed into the skin more than we thought.

While the regulations wouldn’t necessarily mean sunscreens would be pulled from the shelves, it will likely put pressure on manufacturers to change their formulas. For instance, many have already started marketing “mineral” sunscreens, which include active ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Though zinc has long been thought to leave a white residue on skin, newer formulas are making some improvements on their appearance.

The crackdown would also require new disclaimers: If the sunscreen hasn’t been shown to help prevent skin cancer, it’ll have to include a notification on the front label.

Also, the FDA would prohibit sunscreens with insect repellent in them, since those aren’t generally recognized as safe.

And, maybe think twice about buying that SPF 100 cream: Boasts of a SPF of 60 or higher have long “bamboozled” consumers into believing they’re getting extra protection from the sun, says Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at EWG.

The proposal must go through a 30-day comment period, after which they’ll move toward a final rule, likely later this year, Faber says.

Either way, the news comes after decades of inaction by the FDA regarding the ingredients of sunscreen, the EWG says.

“This is going to send a lightning bolt through the sunscreen industry that will force makers to move away from unsafe [sunscreen ingredients] or ingredients where there’s not enough data to prove they’re safe,” Faber says.