Nita M. Lowey
United States Congresswoman
New York's 18th District
In the last 30 years, scientific, medical, and advocacy communities have made enormous progress in the fight against cancer. In fact, 2007 marked the second year in a row that cancer deaths declined in the United States. The tremendous emphasis on cancer prevention, early detection, and improved treatments has saved the lives of millions of Americans.
As a long-standing member of the U.S. House of Representatives Health Appropriations Subcommittee, I have made increased funding for medical research at the National Institutes of Health one of my top priorities in Congress. In my judgment, we must ensure that the NIH remains the “crown jewel” of the federal government’s commitment to science and medicine. A sustained commitment from Congress is absolutely necessary to provide the funding and resources for NIH to continue its critical work.
This research leads not only to advances in early detection and treatments for cancers, but it also unlocks more information every day about better ways to prevent this disease. For example, we now know that at least one-third of cancer deaths are linked to poor nutrition and decreased physical activity, and an additional 30 percent of cancer deaths are caused by smoking and other life style choices.
In fact, one of the most preventable cancers is also one of the most common.
More than one million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. Because it is largely preventable, it is critical—especially in the summer when many of us spend more time outdoors—that consumers have the information they need to protect their skin.
Unfortunately that is easier said than done when it comes to some products.
We are all familiar with the term “SPF,” or Sun Protection Factor, and we depend on this information when we purchase sunscreens. SPF provides an indication of how much longer it will take to burn while wearing sunscreen compared to not using sunscreen. People often buy high-SPF sunscreen in advance of being outdoors because they assume that it will provide a high level of protection from the sun.
Unfortunately, this designation only indicates the ability to block the UVB rays that cause sunburn. It does not apply to the UVA rays that contribute to skin cancer formation and premature aging of the skin.
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires sunscreen to provide protection against only UVB radiation, the type of rays that cause sunburn. It does not require a certain level of protection against UVA radiation.
A report released in June by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit group based in Washington, DC, found that 83% of the 786 sunscreens it tested offer inadequate protection from the sun. In fact, according to this report, at least 51% of the products on the market contain false or misleading claims, such as “provides all-day protection” and “blocks all harmful rays.” And despite some manufacturers’ claims to the contrary, an estimated 12% of sunscreens with an SPF of at least 30 do not contain any ingredient that protects against UVA radiation – a type of ray the contributes to premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.
Until the FDA develops a system to measure the degree or level of protection against UVA rays, companies are free to continue to market their products as providing much more sun protection than they actually do. As a result, consumers may wrongly believe their sunscreen is sufficiently blocking all of the rays that contribute to skin cancer and skin aging. This represents a public health gap.
That is why I recently introduced the “Sunscreen Consumer Right to Know Act” to require the FDA to issue sunscreen standards that protect against both skin cancer and sunburn-causing rays and to implement a public awareness campaign on the dangers of over-exposure to the sun and ways to protect oneself. I was also successful in adding a similar provision to the Fiscal Year 2008 Agriculture appropriations bill to require the FDA to issue these guidelines within 3 months of the bill’s enactment into law.
In the meantime, however, individuals can reduce their risk of skin cancer by avoiding the sun during peak hours in summer months and incorporating effective sunscreen use into one’s daily routine. This includes using broad-spectrum sunscreen that provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays and applying sunscreen liberally and often.
Giving consumers the information they need to make healthy decisions is critical to help prevent cancer. I will continue fighting to boost federal research into prevention, early detection, and appropriate treatments to help more and more patients live longer, healthier lives.
The investment we make in research and education today will improve care for each and every cancer patient and move us closer to the day when we eradicate this terrible disease.
