Lawmakers want public to see new tanning beds rules

House lawmakers want the public to see a rule the Food and Drug Administration has proposed cracking down on tanning beds.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) signed by 17 House representatives, said new tanning bed regulations submitted by FDA to OMB are critical in the fight to eradicate skin cancer, one of the most commonly occurring cancers in the U.S.

{mosads}Citing research, the letter said each year more than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. are linked to sunlamps, and that exposure to sunlamps increases the risk of melanoma, the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25 to 29.

Last year, FDA issued a final rule reclassifying sunlamp products and ultraviolet (UV) lamps intended for use in sunlamp products from low-risk, or class I, to moderate-risk, or class II devices. Under the rule, all sunlamp products are required to have a black box warning that states that the sunlamp product should not be used on people under the age of 18.

Also, certain marketing materials for tanning beds and UV lamps must now come with additional and specific warning statements.

“We applaud the FDA for its final rule to reclassify sunlamps to Class II, and thank the agency for taking the next step and submitting a proposed rule to OMB to further regulate sunlamp products,” the lawmakers’ letter said. “It is urgent that OMB release the proposed rule as this is a critical step in the fight to eradicate skin cancer.”