The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it has approved bemotrizinol as a sunscreen ingredient, the first new sunscreen ingredient approved in the United States in more than 20 years.
Bemotrizinol is a non-mineral chemical UV filter that is already in widespread use in Europe. The FDA said it considers the ingredient "generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for use in sunscreens by adults and children 6 months of age and older." According to ABC News, one of its key advantages is stability: it breaks down less easily in sunlight than other UVA and UVB filters currently on the US market.
Dermatologists note that unlike other UVA filters, bemotrizinol is not as easily absorbed into the bloodstream after skin application. However, they also say it remains unclear whether there are negative health effects from the absorption of other sunscreen ingredients that are already approved and in use.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a statement supporting the decision. "Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA's action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products," Kennedy said.
Advocacy groups have pushed for this approval for years. The Environmental Working Group had petitioned the FDA to greenlight bemotrizinol on multiple occasions. "This is a great day for American consumers and everyone who has fought to improve sunscreen options and close the UVA protection gap in U.S. sunscreens," said David Andrews, chief science officer at EWG.
