As I started thinking a few weeks ago about what to write in my column, I was truly discouraged about the lack of significant new research developments in the field of sunscreens. Other than the recent news that the US FDA finally is considering adding a new UV filter, BEMT (Bemotrizinol), in June, the news has been dismal. I get Google Alerts every day on sunscreens and related regulations and, unfortunately, over 90% of the articles are basically endorsements of the best sunscreen products, company advertisements of their products, celebrity endorsements of their favorite sunscreens, a few dermatologists reviewing the best protection protocols, and occasional reporting of the failures of testing of sunscreen products. 

Lately, however, there has been a surge of reporting concerning regulations of sunscreens worldwide. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is considering overhauling its sunscreen regulations after the testing scandal concerning the Bondi products surfaced. Spain’s Health Ministry recalled baby sunscreen products for providing less protection than advertised. Also, a few articles on the lack of adequate protection from the sun attributed to sunscreen products in the US appeared in print. 

I enjoyed watching MSN’s The Style Theorists episode entitled “Does America Have the Worst Sunscreen?”  This 20-minute cartoon caricature video was extremely well done and reasonably accurate and was designed to appeal to youth, which is a good thing. They reviewed regulations in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia and effectively highlighted the inferiority of our American sunscreen products in comparison to the rest of the globe. About time it is exposed in mainstream media in the US!

In the US, the good news of “potentially” approving a new UV filter after two decades has been gaining traction. Many organizations including the Personal Care Products Council, PASS Coalition, Skin Cancer Foundation, melanoma protection groups and others, have stepped up their involvement in pressuring our reluctant FDA from approving new and safe sunscreen filters. Lobbying the US Congress for help and for applying pressure on the FDA to react and approve new filters has resulted in many new laws in the past such as the Sunscreen Innovation Act (SIA) in 2014 and the recent CARES Act enacted in November 2025.

Finally, the FDA has started to accelerate the introduction and the approval of new filters. The industry that now relies on only six or seven approved UV filters to ensure both UVA and UVB protection has petitioned the US Congress and the FDA for more than 20 years to approve new superior and safer UV filters. The US has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world. In fact, there are over 5 million cases annually in the US. Yet we rely on a handful of inadequate UV filters for protection. 

UVA PROTECTION IN THE USA

Take, for example, UVA protection in the United States. There are only three UVA filters allowed for use. 

The first is oxybenzone, which is now tainted with negative reports that it causes harm to the coral reefs. Calls for its total elimination from our sunscreen formulations are mounting steadily.

The second filter is avobenzone, which is a good UVA filter, but is photo unstable. Avobenzone needs to be “propped up” and stabilized by Triplet-Triplet quenchers such as octocrylene and others, but octocrylene is another filter that is facing elimination for perceived safety considerations. 

The third filter is zinc oxide, which is a mineral filter that is mostly reliable as a UVA protector but has limitations. It leaves a white film on the skin that consumers try to avoid, as well as other formulation problems and issues. Zinc oxide, however, is not allowed to be used with Avobenzone in sunscreen formulations. This limits its effectiveness. 

Having said all the negative issues with our UV filters and the potential approval of BEMT, I am hopeful there soon will be a major improvement in sunscreen protection in the US. BEMT is an excellent UVA and UVB filter that has been used safely for two decades in the rest of the world. More importantly, it is compatible with the mineral filters of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, thereby allowing for the introduction of “hybrid” sunscreen formulations with the elimination of avobenzone and its quenchers in the future. These formulations will finally contribute toward making sunscreens in the US just as effective as in the rest of the world. 

This is, of course, a first step in improvement. Research and discovering new superior UV filters will finally commence in the US and allow us to regain our leadership position in the world. It is long overdue!

Dr. Nadim Shaath is the president of Alpha Research & Development, Ltd. in White Plains, NY. He has over 30 years of experience in the sunscreen industry. He served as the Chairman of the chemistry department at SUNY-Purchase and the CEO of Kato Worldwide. Recently he published his new book entitled “Healing Civilizations: The Search for Therapeutic Essential Oils and Nutrients” Cameron Books, Petaluma, CA.