Australia sunscreen scandal grows as more products pulled off shelves

"A sunscreen scandal in Australia is continuing to grow, with 18 products now pulled from shelves in the skin cancer hotspot over safety concerns. Analysis by a consumer advocacy group in June found several popular and expensive sunscreens did not provide the protection claimed by their makers. One product, Ultra Violette's Lean Screen Skinscreen, is supposed to offer a skin protection factor (SPF) of 50+ but instead returned a result of SPF 4 and was voluntarily recalled in August."

"An investigation by the medicines regulator has now warned about 20 more sunscreens from other brands, which share the same base formula, and raised "significant concerns" about a testing laboratory. "The preliminary testing indicates that this base formulation is unlikely to have an SPF greater than 21," the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said in an update, adding that for some of the goods the SPF rating may be as low as four."

"Of the 21 products it named, eight have been recalled or manufacture stopped completely. The sale of another 10 products have been paused, and two more are being reviewed. One product named by the TGA is made in Australia but is not sold in the country. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancers in the world - it is estimated that two out of three Australians will have at least one cut out in their lifetime - and it has some of the strictest sunscreen regulations globally."

A consumer advocacy analysis found several popular, expensive sunscreens did not provide the protection claimed. One product, Ultra Violette's Lean Screen Skinscreen, tested at SPF 4 despite claiming SPF 50+ and was voluntarily recalled. The Therapeutic Goods Administration warned about 21 products sharing a base formulation, stating preliminary testing indicates the formulation is unlikely to have an SPF greater than 21 and may be as low as four for some goods. Eight of the named products have been recalled or manufacturing stopped, sales of ten have been paused, and two remain under review. The base-formula manufacturer, Wild Child Laboratories, has ceased production amid concerns about testing integrity.

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