Dem lawmaker blasts feds over sunscreen regulation delay

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) slammed federal health officials for allowing sunscreen makers to go another summer without disclosing the true level of protection offered by their products.

The process began in August 2007, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft regulations to expand and clarify the information on sunscreen labels. Then, last month, the agency announced that it would delay manufacturers' June compliance deadline by six months.

"I am deeply concerned for the safety of American families as we move into the peak of summer," Lowey said in a statement Friday.

"Every year I and millions of Americans find the labels more and more confusing.  We must ensure that consumers are confident they are receiving the protections they need during the summer months."

She was joined by Chuck Bell of the Consumers Union, whose Consumer Reports publication has concluded that some sunscreen labels can be misleading.

By December, manufacturers will have to disclose how far their sunscreens go to protect against UVA rays, which cause cancer.

Industry will also not be allowed to claim that sunscreens are "sweat-proof" or "waterproof" without stating specifically how long the products will remain effective under those conditions.

"The FDA and the sunscreen manufacturers have already had plenty of time to fix this problem," Bell said.

The final version of the FDA bill passed by the House on Wednesday would prohibit the agency from delaying the rules' implementation beyond Dec. 17.

"This must be the last summer that American families endure inadequate labeling of sunscreen," Lowey said. 

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