News:

• Citizens for Sun Protection formally comments on the FDA's recently proposed rule for sunscreen products
• FDA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Sunscreen Rule

Like most Americans, you may not realize the sunscreen you use is required to protect you from sunburn, but not adequately from skin cancer. That's because current sunscreen standards mainly require protection from the UVB rays that burn the outer layer of the skin, but not from the deep penetrating UVA rays that dermatologists also consider a cause of skin cancer.

Sunburn is bad, but skin cancer can be deadly. One American dies every hour from skin cancer and this rate continues to climb.

So, although sunscreen use increases each year, the rate of skin cancer is also increasing. How is this possible?

No UVA Protection Requirements Exist.
FDA sunscreen standards have not been updated since 1993. Technology has advanced, but sunscreen standards have not kept pace.

What does UVA protection mean if there is no standard?
There is significant confusion among consumers about the amount and type of protection they're getting. Unsupported and misleading claims on sunscreen labels have led to a class action lawsuit.

The FDA is considering strengthening the sunscreen standards to make them more comprehensive and consistent with the state of the art UV-A standards required in Europe. The FDA needs to hear from you. You can make a difference right now, by signing the petition for better sun protection!