Missouri Health

Big news from the Food and Drug Administration as they are changing the labeling on bottles of sunscreen.

Did you know when you pick up a bottle of sunscreen that says it’s “waterproof” that it really isn’t? Did you know that when a bottle has an SPF under 15 that it isn’t right to say the product can help prevent skin cancer? Probably not, but both claims aren’t exactly accurate, and the FDA has taken steps to ensure consumers have what they need to know when they buy sunscreen.

According to the FDA’s website, the changes include the following.

• final regulations that establish standards for testing the effectiveness of sunscreen products and require labeling that accurately reflects test results
• a proposed regulation that would limit the maximum SPF value on sunscreen labeling to “SPF 50+”
• a data request for safety and effectiveness information for sunscreen products formulated in certain dosage forms (e.g., sprays)
• a draft guidance for sunscreen manufacturers on how to test and label their products in light of these new measures

Lynn Cornelius, M.D., chief of dermatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said, “Dermatologists at Washington University are enthusiastic about these new rules and feel they will clarify some of the confusion concerning proper sunscreen use.”

For more about the changes, watch these videos from the FDA.