FDA green-lights 1st new sunscreen ingredient in years
The Food and Drug Administration has signed off on a new sunscreen ingredient, a first in more than 20 years.
The FDA announced Tuesday it is giving the green light to bemotrizinol, an ingredient that has been approved in other countries.
“Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA’s action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.
Bemotrizinol, a non-mineral chemical ingredient, is an ultraviolet filter that is more stable, meaning it breaks down less easily in the sun than other UVA and UVB filters that are currently on the market.
Unlike other UVA filters, dermatologists say bemotrizinol in not as easily absorbed into the bloodstream after application, although dermatologists say it's not clear if there are negative health impacts from the absorption of other sunscreen ingredients into the bloodstream.
"The FDA considers bemotrizinol to be generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for use in sunscreens by adults and children 6 months of age and older," the agency said.
Some advocacy groups, such as Environmental Working Group, have petitioned the FDA to approve bemotrizinol for years.
“This is a great day for American consumers and everyone who has fought to improve sunscreen options and close the UVA protection gap in U.S. sunscreens,” David Andrews, chief science officer at EWG, said.
