HANGING BACK IN THE SHADE — Last weekend marked the unofficial start of summer in the U.S., but one thing that didn’t change with the season was the number of sunscreen ingredients available to consumers here. Over the last decade, Congress has twice tried to prod the FDA toward endorsing some of the sunscreen filters found in European and Asian markets that feel less greasy and more easily blend into darker skin tones. But the agency hasn’t approved a new ingredient since 1999, and only one company is close to getting regulators to review its application for a substance long available overseas, Lauren reports. Why? The FDA regulates sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug because of health claims about the product's ability to prevent skin cancer and aging, which requires animal testing to prove their safety. Meanwhile, other countries regulate sunscreen as a cosmetic subject to less stringent review. The industry has tried to get the FDA to back off its animal-testing requirements, arguing alternative tests are sufficient to establish safety, but to no avail. Some companies have bowed out of the regulatory gauntlet for their sunscreens, while others are reluctantly moving ahead. The FDA argues that animal testing is necessary for sunscreens given recent research showing that more of the chemicals than was previously known are absorbed into the body’s bloodstream instead of sitting on top of the skin. The pushback: Some public health experts say plenty of data exists around sunscreens’ use worldwide — and on the sun’s carcinogenic effects — to show that the benefits of the products outweigh their risks. Having more options available could entice more people to wear sunscreen every day, they say. But the FDA says that the prospect of daily use means it’s crucial for the agency to have data showing the products’ safety over the long term. Despite the lag, Congress isn’t considering new legislation on the issue. But Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.) wants to help the FDA and industry hash out a compromise. To him, it’s personal: Joyce is a dermatologist and a skin cancer survivor. More than 200 congressional staffers and members were screened for skin cancer in the Capitol this month, Joyce said. Four suspicious lesions were evaluated for melanoma, he said, the deadliest form of skin cancer. “The rest of the world has moved ahead of us,” he said. IT’S FRIDAY. WELCOME BACK TO PRESCRIPTION PULSE. This take on the use of eggs in avian flu vaccines has us clucking (sorry). Send news and tips to David Lim (dlim@politico.com or @davidalim) and Lauren Gardner (lgardner@politico.com or @Gardner_LM).
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