Australia's medicines regulator has identified 21 sunscreens that are unlikely to provide the sun protection factor (SPF) stated on their labels, with some products scoring as low as SPF 4. All affected products share a common base formulation manufactured by Wild Child Laboratories, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
The TGA has warned that these sunscreens, sold by 17 different companies, are unlikely to have an SPF rating higher than 21. Eight of the products have been voluntarily recalled, and sales of a further ten have been paused while they undergo regulatory review.
The investigation was launched in June after consumer advocacy group Choice published independent testing that found several leading Australian sunscreens fell short of their SPF claims. The worst performer in that testing was Ultra Violette Lean Screen SPF 50+, a mineral sunscreen which achieved only SPF 4 in laboratory tests.
The TGA said it had 'significant concerns' about the reliability of SPF testing undertaken by Princeton Consumer Research Corp (PCR Corp), a UK-based laboratory used by many companies responsible for the affected products. The regulator said it had not identified any manufacturing issue at Wild Child Laboratories, which has ceased production and supply of the base formulation.
PCR Corp defended its testing regime, saying it conducted testing in good faith and to industry standards on specific samples provided to it, but could not comment on products it had not tested. Choice's chief executive, Ashley De Silva, said consumers would now expect companies to provide reassurance that their sunscreens were backed by robust testing practices.
