photo credit: youngthousands

Considering all the fuss about the hole in the ozone layer, ultraviolet rays, and melanoma, you’d think sunscreen manufacturers would use accurate labels on their sunscreens to let consumers know what type of protection they can expect from the products they buy.

Last year, the Federal Drug Administration issued new regulations for sunscreen, saying that manufacturers would have to begin labeling their products with greater detail. The new system will involve a star rating for UVA protection, ranging from one star (very little protection) to four (the highest possible protection for an over-the-counter product).

When will we See the New Labels?

Unfortunately, it’s likely that consumers won’t see those new and improved labels right away, as the FDA hasn’t set a date to enact the new rules. Consumer advocates blame both the FDA and sunscreen manufacturers for the delay in implementing the rules - but are they right to do so? Perhaps.

However, cancer of the skin (melanoma) is a significant risk, and the government has stepped forward with legislation that requires cancer patients to be approved for health insurance. But we need more preventative measures to prevent future expensive medical care. Sunscreen labeling may help increase awareness of melanoma.

The FDA and You

In fact, the FDA has received more than twenty thousand comments on this issue. The agency must examine every comment before it can begin implementing the new rules, and sifting through twenty thousand comments is bound to take a significant amount of time.

Those are the rules the FDA must abide by. They agency isn’t trying to stall for time; it’s simply following the rules that keep it working effectively.

Imagine this: the FDA neglects to follow the rules—they ignore the comments and implement the new sunscreen labeling requirements. A couple of years later, there’s some kind of problem which results in products being mislabeled. Who gets blamed, then? The FDA? Government agencies tend to be held under suspicion regardless of what they do, and this case is no different.

The FDA expects to implement the rules within twelve months. In the meantime, choose sunscreen products that display their UVA and UVB ratings, and pick the one that offers the most protection.

More Research

• Find out more about cancer and health insurance at MedHealthInsurance.com
• Read up on the FDA’s new guidelines for sunscreen at the fda.gov website.