DeLauro Statement On New Standards For Tanning Lamps

Statement

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement today on news the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing new standards and labeling for tanning lamps. DeLauro, a former chair of the subcommittee that funds the FDA, has long fought to ensure consumers have information about the dangers of indoor tanning. More information on the proposed FDA standards can be found on their website.

"I am glad the FDA is moving forward with a clear warning about the risks of indoor tanning, but I still have concerns about the details and implementation of this proposal. I will continue to press the agency to ensure that consumers get the information they need to make informed choices.

"The National Cancer Institute estimates melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, will cause 76,000 cases and 9,000 American deaths this year. Research has found that the risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 35. More than three years ago an FDA advisory committee recommended reclassifying tanning beds to better reflect their risk. Having a carcinogenic product easily available to minors is unacceptable and we must ensure strong performance standards are in place to better protect consumers."

DeLauro has repeatedly called for FDA action on tanning beds, including:

· A bipartisan amendment that would have required the FDA to reclassify tanning beds

· Multiplelettersto FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg, urging the agency to appropriately label and classify tanning beds

· A speech urging the FDA to re-classify tanning beds in order to better inform the public about the health risk they pose

· Highlighting a report by the journal Lancet Oncology concluding the ultraviolet light used in tanning beds is as carcinogenic as asbestos, radium, arsenic and cigarettes

Source