FDA Approves New Sunscreen Ingredient After Decades-Long Delay
5 verified3 unconfirmed
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new sunscreen ingredient for the first time in decades, a move that both sources report has been long awaited. The ingredient has been used in Europe and Asia for many years and offers protection against both types of ultraviolet rays that damage skin. The approval follows years of criticism over the FDA’s slow process, which regulates sunscreens under the drug standard rather than the cosmetic standard used in other countries. One source notes that existing American sunscreens are better at preventing sunburn than skin cancer, a potential safety concern. A dermatologist quoted in one source described the approval as a very big deal for both doctors and consumers. Products containing the new ingredient are expected to reach store shelves in the coming months.
What’s verified
The FDA has approved a new sunscreen ingredient for the first time in decades.
The ingredient has been used in Europe and Asia for many years.
The ingredient protects against both UVA rays (linked to aging and skin cancer) and UVB rays (linked to sunburn).
The U.S. regulates sunscreens under the drug standard, which the sources say contributed to the long delay.
Products containing the new ingredient are expected to be available in stores in the coming months.
Not yet confirmed
One source names the approved ingredient as Bemotrizinol; the other source does not name it.
One source states the approval came 26 years after the European Union approved the ingredient; another source reports a company had been seeking approval for 20 years.
One source specifically argues that U.S. sunscreens are less safe than European ones because they focus more on UVB protection; the other source does not make this claim.
Key figures
Dr. Heather Rogers, dermatologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology
Margaret A. Hamburg, former FDA Commissioner (mentioned in one source)
Kelly Dobos, cosmetic chemist at the University of Cincinnati
Sources: marginalrevolution.com, NPR
