Proposed sunscreen reforms welcome, but more needed to protect Australians: CHOICE
CHOICE response to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)’s announcement today on proposed reforms to sunscreen regulation.
Quotes attributable to Andy Kelly, Director of Consumer Impact:
“CHOICE welcomes the TGA’s proposed sunscreen reforms, following CHOICE testing last year which found 16 of 20 sunscreen products did not live up to their SPF claims – revealing an urgent need for changes to the way sunscreen is regulated.”
“We’re pleased to see the TGA has proposed stricter rules which would require sunscreen brands to test their finished product, rather than just the base formula, and provide the results to the TGA before the product is listed. Brands would also be required to continuously test their products following listing. Currently, sunscreen brands are not required to provide any SPF testing data to the TGA unless requested, so this change would greatly improve the transparency around how brands have tested their products.”
“However, the TGA is not proposing to routinely monitor and evaluate test results. Sunscreen brands would also only be required to provide test results confidentially to the TGA. In the interest of transparency and public safety, we believe these results should be made available to everyone and that the TGA should routinely monitor test results, as well as conduct its own compliance testing program.”
“CHOICE also supports the TGA’s recommended changes to how labs conducting SPF testing are regulated, following concerns around the reliability of some laboratories. Under the proposed reforms, any labs conducting SPF testing for products available in Australia would require international accreditation.”
“In a country where around 2 in 3 people will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, consumers deserve to trust the claims on sunscreen products are accurate. These proposed reforms are an important step towards ensuring this is the case. We look forward to continuing to work with the TGA to improve the regulation of sunscreens in Australia.”
