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Ohio Senator Wants Better Sunscreen In U.S.
By: Rachel Bailey
Posted on:
Sunscreen – We take for granted that it will help protect us from the damaging effects too much sun.
According to Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, American sunscreen does not protect against cancer as well as European sunscreen.
There are more than 2 million cases of skin cancer each year in the United States, and 90 percent are the result of harmful sun exposure.
Ultraviolet radiation, which damages the skin, has two forms: UVB and UVA.
Brown says the FDA has only approved three ingredients that block cancer causing rays, but Europe has approved seven. Because of this, he has announced his co-sponsorship of the Sunscreen Innovation Act.
"We're just asking the FDA to move more quickly on protecting the public health. There are sunscreen products available in Europe – They're actulaly made in the United States in Columbus. We can't use the products here because the FDA hasn't ruled on it," Brown said. "I'm not judging their science. I'm just asking them to move quickly so that Americans have access to the same sunscreen that Europeans do. Most scientists say their sunscreen is actually more effective with UVA and UVB rays to protect from skin cancer."
Ashland Inc., a chemical company in Columbus, sells sunsceen across the globe but isn't allowed to sell it in the U.S.
The company hopes to expand its plant and create Ohio jobs if the FDA approves more sunscreen ingredients. Brown says the FDA hasn't approved a new sunscreen product since 1999.