The Public Access to SunScreens (PASS) Coalition has submitted comments to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in response to a request for public comments regarding the prevention of skin cancer through the reduction of UV exposure in the U.S. The CDC's request for comment can be accessed in the Federal Register here.
In its comments, PASS requests the CDC to "urge the FDA to clear the 10-year backlog in new sunscreen applications and create a predictable, transparent and timely review process for pre-market approval of new sunscreen ingredients."
PASS notes that "American consumers have limited choices when it comes to broad-spectrum sunscreen products. This is attributed to FDA's decade-long delay regarding eight new sunscreen ingredient applications. This sunscreen technology currently awaiting approval before FDA has been widely available in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, in some cases for over 15 years."
PASS continues, saying, "At a time when cases of skin cancer outnumber the occurrence of all other cancers, and one American dies every hour from melanoma, a lethal form of skin cancer, it is imperative for Americans to have access to the latest safe and effective sunscreen products available."
The PASS Coalition is a multi-stakeholder coalition of public health organizations, dermatologists, sunscreen ingredient companies, and concerned citizens are working collaboratively with the FDA, the White House and Congress to establish a timely and transparent framework for approval of the next generation of UV active filters for Over-the-Counter (OTC) sunscreens.
The current membership of the PASS Coalition includes: the Melanoma Research Alliance, the Melanoma Research Foundation, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, The Skin Cancer Foundation, the Sun Safe Tee Program, Dr. Harry Fallick, Dr. Elizabeth Hale, Dr. Henry Lim, Dr. Warwick Morison, Dr. Nadim Shaath, Dr. Steven Wang, Ashland Inc., BASF Corp., Beiersdorf, DeWolf Chemical, Inc., Fitz Chem Corporation, L’Oréal USA Products, Inc., McCullough & Associates, Proctor & Gamble and the Suncare Research Laboratories.
The PASS Coalition's full comments on the CDC request can be accessed here.