Gottheimer Introduces “Sunscreen Safety Plan” to Ensure American’s Access to Effective Sunscreen

Calls on the FDA to approve new and safe sunscreen filters that have been available abroad for decades

Urges the federal government to increase public education efforts around sunscreen use

Above: Gottheimer announces his new “Sunscreen Safety Plan.”

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Today, Monday, July 8, 2024, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) launched his new “Sunscreen Safety Plan,” to ensure more Americans have access to the most effective sunscreens to fend off skin cancer — and that they understand the importance of using them. Because of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) bureaucratic approval process for sunscreens filled with red tape, Americans have less access to safe and effective sunscreens than their peers in Europe or Asia. The United States has not approved a new ultraviolet (UV) filter since 1999. Studies have also found that only thirty-five percent of U.S. sunscreens are strong enough to pass EU standards. Gottheimer’s “Sunscreen Safety Plan” aims to streamline the FDA’s approval processes and strengthen its public education efforts, so Americans are fully protected from sun damage and skin cancer.

Video of Gottheimer’s remarks here. 

“One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70, and more than two people die of skin cancer in our country every hour. It’s critical that more Americans wear sunscreen and that we all have access to the absolute best and latest sun protecting products on the market,” said U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “With my ‘Sunscreen Safety Plan,’ we’re working to help ensure that Americans can access the most effective sunscreens and stay safe even on the sunniest of days. My strategy is a set of commonsense, bipartisan steps that we can take in Washington to keep families healthy and reduce the devastating incidence of skin cancer.”

“Today, Congressman Gottheimer is here to address a topic that affects us all: the importance of wearing sunscreen and ensuring we have safe sunscreen options. This issue is close to my heart, not just as the Deputy Mayor, but as a mother.” said Fair Lawn Deputy Mayor Cristina Cutrone. “It shouldn’t have to be this way: every sunscreen on the shelf should be safe, so that no one has to think twice about wearing it. This issue is also deeply personal to me, as my cousin Danielle is a skin cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with stage four melanoma at the age of 22, and after extensive treatment, she is cancer-free. She would want me today to remind all of you that skin cancer is often overlooked and not fully understood for how dangerous it can be. It’s one of the most common cancers, and yet, it can be one of the most preventable with the right precautions.”

Gottheimer’s “Sunscreen Safety Plan” Includes:

1. A letter to the FDA, urging them to follow through on a provision in the bipartisan CARES Act of 2020 and streamline the review process for over-the-counter products that are generally recognized as safe and effective like sunscreen. The CARES Act highlighted sixteen sunscreen active ingredients, available in Europe and Asia, that were ready for approval. The FDA does not plan to approve the most promising of these ingredients, bemotrizonol, until the end of 2025.
2. A call to the FDA and other federal agencies, urging them to step up public education surrounding sunscreen.
3. Support for the bipartisan FDA Modernization Act 3.0, which will establish a process for non-animal testing in drug development. This bill will replace animal testing with more precise non-clinical testing methods and get effective sunscreens onto the market faster.

Skin Cancer in the United States and the Importance of Sunscreen:

• Every year, approximately 1,700 men and 840 women in New Jersey are diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma is the seventh most common cancer in New Jersey.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70, and more than two people die of skin cancer in our country every hour.
• Research shows that regular daily use of SPF 15 or higher sunscreen can reduce a person’s risk of squamous cell carcinoma by about forty percent and melanoma by fifty percent.
• Despite sunscreen’s critical importance, only about thirty percent of women and less than fifteen percent of men regularly and comprehensively use sunscreen.

In addition to his “Sunscreen Safety Plan,” Gottheimer joined Dr. Ali Hadi, a dermatologist at Englewood Health, to provide some tips on proper sunscreen usage. Many of these tips come from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, a leading facility in treating skin cancer.

Tips for Sunscreen Usage Include:

• Get a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection, so you’re protected against all kinds of UV radiation. Look for the words “Broad Spectrum” — which includes UVA and UVB — and “water resistant” on the bottle, especially if you’re going into the pool.
• Choose a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and it’s even better if it has zinc.
• Apply sunscreen early — and everywhere. It can take almost a half-hour to absorb sunscreen, and it’s important that you cover every part of your body that may be exposed to the sun. You are better off using a lotion than a spray.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours. You may need to reapply more frequently if you’re using spray sunscreen or swimming at a pool like this one.
• Don’t just rely on sunscreen. Throw on a hat or my personal favorite, a pair of sunglasses to make sure you’re fully protected.

Gottheimer was joined by Fair Lawn Deputy Mayor Cristina Cutrone and Englewood Health dermatologist Dr. Ali Hadi.