The Food and Drug Administration announced it is considering allowing bemotrizinol to be used as an active ingredient in sunscreen sold in the United States.

Bemotrizinol, approved more than 20 years ago for use in the European Union, protects against both UVA and UVB rays and rarely causes skin irritation. The FDA said it may give the ingredient its “safe and effective” designation for adults and children ages 6 months and older.

The review follows passage of the CARES Act in March 2020, which created an expedited process for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of active ingredients in nonprescription sunscreens.

Under the proposal, bemotrizinol could be used in sunscreen at concentrations of up to 6%.

“The agency has historically moved too slowly in this area, leaving Americans w

See Full Page