Narrow spectrum protection

Sunscreens with ingredients that offer greater protection than what is available in the United States are common in Europe, Asia and Canada. That’s because federal regulators haven’t added anything new to the list of approved sunscreen ingredients in 15 years, while eight ingredients are currently backlogged for approval, some languishing for years or even more than a decade, according to SFGate.com.

In the U.S, only 17 chemicals have been approved for use in sunscreens, while European companies can choose between 27 ingredients, including seven designed specifically to block UVA radiation.

Members of Congress are attempting to jumpstart the process with the Sunshine Innovation Act, which would set a timetable of 11 months for approval, while maintaining the same safety standards.

Meanwhile, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.; more than 2 million Americans are diagnosed each year, and about 90 percent of nonmelanoma cases are related to harmful sun exposure.