The first sunscreens containing a newly FDA approved ingredient are likely to hit the market in the next two to three months.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration added bemotrizinol to the list of permitted sunscreen active ingredients. This is the first new active ingredient added to the over-the-counter sunscreen monograph since the late 1990s.
In a statement, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said: “Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA’s action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products.”
Bemotrizinol provides protection against both ultraviolet A and B rays and has low levels of absorption through the skin into the body. The FDA considers bemotrizinol to be generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for use in sunscreens by adults and children 6 months of age and older.
David Andrews, chief science officer at Environmental Working Group, said: “For decades, Americans have used outdated sunscreen tech while the rest of the world moved forward. The approval of bemotrizinol will help change that. The FDA’s go-ahead will finally bring more effective, safer sun protection to American store shelves. This is a win that has been a long time coming.”
