Skin Cancer Prevention
Legislation | Documents/Reports
While many people understand that tanning outside is harmful, they often mistakenly believe that tanning in a salon is a safer alternative to sunbathing. As the rate of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, grows in the United States, I introduced the Tanning Accountability and Notification (TAN) Act, which would require Food and Drug Administration to determine whether the current labeling of indoor tanning beds provides sufficient information about the risks associated with indoor tanning.
The language of the TAN Act was included in the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, Public Law 110-85 (FDAAA), Section 230 of FDAAA. In a report submitted to Congress by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration in December 2008, FDA is considering amending the warning label requirements for sunlamp products to include specific formatting requirements to more clearly and effectively convey the risks that these devices pose for the development of irreversible damage to the eyes and skin, including skin cancer. In fact, the new label would directly state that “Ultraviolet Radiation causes: Skin Cancer.” Having this definitive statement based on scientific evidence is an important step toward reducing the risks of these devices with the end goal of reducing the rising rates of skin cancer.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), almost 30 million Americans visit indoor tanning salons each year- 70% of visitors are women between the ages of 16 and 49. More than 25% of teen girls have used tanning salons three or more times in their lives. One of the reported side effects of indoor tanning is an elevated risk of skin cancer. According to the AAD, regular tanning bed use was associated with a 55% increase in the risk of developing melanoma, especially in women between the ages of 20 and 29. As a result, dermatologists have concluded that indoor tanning is not safe. FDA and numerous leading United States and international health care organizations have expressed concerns that the consuming public is not aware that indoor tanning devices emit ultraviolet radiation that is similar to and sometimes more powerful than UV radiation emitted by the sun. It is clear that Americans are not aware that indoor tanning is dangerous.
Legislation
5/5/11 - H.R. 1676, Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act of 2011 [112th Congress]
1/26/10 - H.R. 4520, Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act of 2010 [111th Congress]
02/08/07 - H.R. 945, Tanning Accountability and Notification Act of 2007 [110th Congress]
02/16/06 - H.R.4767, Tanning Accountability and Notification (TAN) Act of 2006 [109th Congress]
Documents
05/17/06 - Letter Requesting a Hearing on H.R. 4767 in the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
More on Skin Cancer Prevention
Washington, DC. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), co-chair of the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus, lauded the unanimous House approval of the Sunscreen Innovation Act (S. 2141), bipartisan legislation to pave the way for more effective sunscreen products. Maloney was a cosponsor of the House version, H.R. 4250.
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today applauded the Surgeon General’s call to action on skin cancer. Last year, Maloney established the bipartisan Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Maloney also succeeded in passing legislation in 2007 which led to the Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to reclassify UV tanning lamps as Class II medical devices, necessitating warning labels indicating the products should not be used by those under 18 years old.
WASHINGTON – In response to calls from Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Dermatologists and others, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it will now require black box warning on all tanning beds, indicating that the products should not be used by those under the age of 18. Manufacturers will also be required to include additional warnings in their marketing materials and show that their products meet performance testing requirements. Maloney authored legislation, called the TAN Act, which helped initiate this process. Today’s rules are also in line with a request Maloney made to FDA in a bipartisan letter signed by seven of her colleagues.
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today offered the following statement after the FDA proposed a rule reclassifying sunlamps and tanning beds as “Class II” medical devices and recommend against their use by those under age 18.
New York, NY - On the eve of Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the summer season, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) announced today that she is joining her colleague, Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-CA), to introduce the Melanoma Research Act of 2012, H.R. 5716. With skin cancer and melanoma rates continuing to skyrocket in the United States, Representatives Maloney and Bilbray are introducing the measure to establish a Skin Cancer Research Fund to support research conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
WASHINGTON, DC — Today Reps. Henry A. Waxman, Diana DeGette, Frank Pallone, Jr., Rosa L. DeLauro, and Carolyn B. Maloney released a report prepared by the minority staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, describing the false and misleading health information provided to teens by the indoor tanning industry. The report, based on undercover interviews of tanning salon employees conducted by Committee investigators, finds that tanning salons target teenage girls with advertising and promotions, deny known risks of indoor tanning, provide false information on benefits of tanning, and fail to follow recommendations by the Food and Drug Administration on tanning frequency.
WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the President signed into law comprehensive drug safety legislation that included a key provision authored by Congresswoman Maloney to require better warnings about the cancer risks associated with the use of tanning beds.