Tougher Cancer Warnings for Tanning Beds, FDA Debates

I never understood why tanning beds even existed, but since so many people use them the Food and Drug Administration will be debating how to give people stricter warnings that tanning bed sunlamps pose a cancer risk.

The World Health Organization’s cancer division last summer listed tanning beds as definitive cancer-causers, right alongside the ultraviolet radiation that both they and the sun emit. They’d long been considered “probable” carcinogens, but what tipped the scales: An analysis of numerous studies that concluded the risk of melanoma jumps by 75 percent in people who used tanning beds in their teens and 20s.

So it looks like in March, the FDA advisers will open a public hearing to hopefully give tanning beds more regulation which would include more warnings and maybe even classify them in a way that they can do even more to regulate their use.  The Indoor Tanning Association is all ready to fight this, along with the pending legislation to tax tanning salons.  I think people can become addicted to the tanning process and maybe something like is instituted for Zyrtec-D could be imposed, checking your license with a linked database so you do not overdo it.  The linked database part is where it could get costly and how would you actually regulate it.  The Zyrtec-D regulation is at a pharmacy where they already have to have some  things put in place.

Also education could be a help here, as most of the people that are over using the tanning beds are in their teens and 20s.  You have to be comfortable with the way you look.  The FDA though can not tackle that rather large prospect though, that is more of a parents job I would think. 

Source: Associated Press