WHEREAS, The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved a new ingredient or filter for use in sunscreen in over 20 years. Consequently, there has been little improvement or innovation in the United States sunscreen composition for decades, leaving Americans vulnerable to skin cancer, which remains, by far, the most common form of cancer in the United States; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, sunscreen manufacturers currently have access to 16 ultraviolet (UV) filters to create sunscreen products. Comparatively, European nations have up to 30 approved UV filters for consumer product companies to formulate a variety of sunscreen products; and

WHEREAS, The lack of approved UV filters in America severely hampers the ability to bring forward a broader selection of sunscreen products that help protect Americans from skin cancer and the harmful effects of overexposure to the sun. With more ingredients and filters to choose from, overseas sunscreen manufacturers are able to create more innovative and stronger forms of protection against harmful ultraviolet rays. Americans have fewer choices in their sunscreen options, and, therefore, notably poorer protection from ultraviolet rays; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, Congress passed the Sunscreen Innovation Act to address the regulatory backlog preventing Americans from accessing advanced, effective sunscreens that are widely available in the rest of the world, and have been for years. Still, the FDA is taking too long to approve nonprescription (OTC) ingredients and filters that are safe and widely available to the rest of the world; and

WHEREAS, Current requirements require a significant amount of time and resources, akin to a new drug application, to complete and do not allow for the use of 21st century nonanimal testing or alternatives for assessing the safety and effectiveness of products that are currently utilized by the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and other countries throughout the world; now, therefore, be it