Sunscreens in the US could be allowed to contain an ingredient already widely used in Europe, Australia and Asia, under a proposal from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Experts say the chemical, Bemotrizinol, which acts as a broad-spectrum sunscreen, can offer better protection against Ultraviolet (UV) A and B rays emitted from the Sun than products currently approved in the US.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary criticised the US on Thursday for having "moved too slowly" to approve new sunscreen technology, in comparison to other countries.
The new FDA proposal would allow for companies to use bemotrizinol in concentrations of up to 6% in their products.
"The agency has historically moved too slowly in this area, leaving Americans with fewer options than consumers abroad," Dr Makary said in a statement released by the FDA.
