More than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the US, and over two people die from the disease every hour. Annually, skin cancer diagnoses outnumber all other cancers combined, with treatment costs estimated at $8.1 billion. Against this alarming backdrop, DSM-Firmenich Beauty & Care held its 3rd Annual Safer Under the Sun Day in Washington DC, highlighting the critical need for advanced sunscreen innovations and collaborative efforts to combat skin cancer.

The event brought together leading medical professionals, public health advocates, personal care experts and sunscreen specialists to address barriers hindering sunscreen innovation and discuss the necessity of industry-government partnerships. These collaborations are vital for advancing new over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen drugs and ensuring their availability to Americans, according to DSM-Firmenich.

During the event, the Skin Cancer Awareness Leadership Award was presented to the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus Committee members for their unwavering support in the fight against skin cancer. Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) accepted the award on behalf of the committee. In her acceptance speech, Rep. Dingell emphasized the significant impact of simple preventative measures like applying sunscreen.

Following the awards ceremony, presentations from the Skin Cancer Foundation, Personal Care Products Council, Credo Beauty, DSM-Firmenich and several dermatologists underscored a critical issue: despite scientific advancements and legislative efforts like the Sunscreen Innovation Act of 2014, the US lags behind other countries in adopting new sunscreen filters. This delay limits the availability of diverse and effective broad-spectrum sun protection products, hindering innovation and consumer needs.

Key challenges identified include:

• Lengthy and complex regulatory review and approval processes.
• Insufficient research funding for non-animal toxicological safety and risk assessment methods.
• Inadequate exclusivity and data protection for OTC sunscreen drug innovation sponsors.

Panelists proposed several congressional actions to improve the situation:

• Streamlining and expediting regulatory processes for new and existing sunscreen ingredients.
• Tasking the National Academy of Sciences with identifying innovative non-animal-based testing methods.
• Allocating funds for developing validated non-animal testing approaches for FDA regulatory decisions.
• Encouraging the FDA to adopt alternatives to animal testing and permitting “reasonable alternatives” for OTC sunscreen drugs.
• Fast-tracking FDA approval for Time and Extent Application (TEA) ingredients.
• Enhancing innovation incentives, such as extending sponsor exclusivity provisions for OMOR Tier 1 ingredient approvals from 18 to 48 months.
• Implementing data protection standards to maintain the confidentiality of sponsor-generated data.
• Supporting stronger partnerships between government agencies and various stakeholders.

According to DSM-Firmenich, the 3rd Annual Safer Under The Sun Day highlighted the urgent need for regulatory reforms and innovations to improve sun protection and reduce skin cancer rates in the US. The industry aims to overcome current barriers through collaborative efforts and bring advanced sun care solutions to all Americans.