SunAWARE

The Environmental Working Group is one of the most credible and valuable not-for-profit organizations in the country.

It describes its mission as:

Environmental Working Group

“At the Environmental Working Group our team of scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and computer analysts pores over government data, legal documents, scientific studies, and our own laboratory tests to expose to expose threats to your health and the environment and to find solutions. Our research brings to light unsettling facts you have a right to know.”

Over the years, we’ve found this to be true.

Which is why when the group issues a report, we pay attention.

News reports this morning say that a new study by the Environmental Working Group finds that almost half of the 500 most popular sunscreen products may actually increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread skin cancer because they contain vitamin A or its derivatives retinol and retinyl palmitate. In other words, sunscreen containing vitamin A or its derivatives may actually contribute to the development of the same disease–skin cancer– the products are supposed to guard against. (The link posted above is to a thorough news story on the report.)

In addition, the EWG says the FDA knew about the dangers of vitamin A for years and did nothing to alert consumers.

Here is a caution. We have not yet read the report itself. The EWG site is down, probably crashed, and we are unable to obtain the complete document.  We will as soon as its available. However, we have reviewed a number of news stories and they are consistent in their reporting.

Here is what those reports are saying.

EWG researchers found the initial findings of an FDA study of vitamin A’s photocarcinogenic properties, meaning the possibility that vitamin A results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.

“In that year-long study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream,” the report said.

The industry includes vitamin A in its sunscreen formulations because it is an anti-oxidant that slows skin aging.

Now, here is where it gets a little complicated.

Apparently, the FDA study referenced above was completed ten years ago, but its findings were released only last fall by the FDA and the National Toxicology Program, the federal government’s principle evaluator of substances that raise public health concerns.

As quoted by AOL News, Jane Houlihan, EWG’s senior vice president for research, said: “There was enough evidence 10 years ago for FDA to caution consumers against the use of vitamin A in sunscreens.  FDA launched this one-year study, completed their research and now 10 years later, they say nothing about it, just silence.”

The FDA denies the allegation, but documents at the FDA, the National Toxicology Program and on the FDA’s own website show the study had been done.  Again, according to AOL News, “The FDA’s own website said the animal studies were done at its National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Ark. And it was scientists from the FDA center and NTP that posted the study data last fall.”

The EWG conclusions were examined by outside toxicologists before being released.

If the substance of these reports is true, that vitamin A and its derivatives in sunscreen have photocarcinogenic properties and if it is true that for a decade the FDA failed to report this to the public, then it is a scandal of the first order.

We will follow this very carefully.

In the meantime, remember that sun protective clothing is the best and first line of defense against dangerous exposure to UVR.