Is a US Sunscreen Public Health Crisis Brewing? via Happi

In the November 2022 issue of Happi, we reported on how “Sunscreens in The US are Under Attack from Two Fronts.”

Sunscreen actives, classified as drugs and not cosmetics in the US, must undergo FDA approval to ensure their safety for human use. Additionally, they may be subject to an evaluation of their potential environmental impacts. These challenges could potentially have significant implications for both the sunscreen industry and public health. If they materialize, they could lead to unintended consequences for public health.

Insufficient access to effective sunscreens could contribute to an increase in skin cancer cases, which is already a significant public health issue in the United States, especially considering that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US. The health and economic burden of skin cancer treatment in the US is substantial and increasing.