img

FDA Proposes Tanning Bed Ban for Minors

Posted On: 12-24-2015
FDA Proposes Tanning Bed Ban for Minors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new rules that would restrict the use of tanning beds for minors and add some other measures in order to make consumers more aware of the risks of indoor tanning.

The most standout part of the FDA’s proposed rules is the reclassification of tanning beds for adults age 18 years and older only.

Additionally, the FDA proposes that any adults using tanning beds be made to sign a release acknowledging the risks of tanning before the first session and every six months following in order to prove that they are aware of the health risks involved. 

Other safety methods that have been proposed by the FDA include displaying prominent warning signs, mandating eye protection, labeling bulbs, adding a panic button for emergency shut off, and prohibiting modifying the machines without recertifying them through the FDA.

Use of indoor tanning beds can result in a 59% greater risk of melanoma, and this increases with each use of a tanning bed. The rays used in tanning beds are more intense than the sun, and the World Health Organization classified indoor tanning beds as carcinogenic in 2009. Despite these warnings, approximately 1.6 million minors participate in indoor tanning each year. There are up to 19,000 tanning salons in the United States, and up to 20,000 other locations that offer tanning services (such as spas).

The American Academy of Dermatology applauded the proposed rules, while the Indoor Tanning Association emphasized that a minor going to an indoor tanning salon should be the decision of the parent, not the government.

The proposed rules are available for public comment for three months. The FDA has stated that it wants to hear from users, families, and business owners.

See Related Articles

A Guide to Successful Toilet Training

Most children are ready to begin toilet training around thre ...
Posted On: 11-18-2016
read more

A Parent’s Guide to Food Aversions & Weight in Children

If your child is not gaining weight normally, it can lead to ...
Posted On: 06-10-2016
read more

Abdominal Discomfort in Babies

If your baby seems fussy and is drawing up his legs in pain, ...
Posted On: 09-02-2016
read more

ADHD More Likely to Be Missed in Minority Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is often characteri ...
Posted On: 08-26-2016
read more

Alarming Rates of Childhood Obesity

A new study reports that childhood obesity throughout the wo ...
Posted On: 10-13-2017
read more

Behavioral Characteristics of Children With Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a seizure condition, and while 2.5 million Ameri ...
Posted On: 07-01-2016
read more

Blood Tests to Detect FASD Could Be Possible

A new study published in POLOS ONE shows that a certain bloo ...
Posted On: 11-11-2016
read more

Can an App Improve Social Skills for Children with ASD?

A small clinical trial published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests ...
Posted On: 03-08-2019
read more

Children & Excessive Energy

Your child is likely to have more energy than you do, especi ...
Posted On: 09-23-2016
read more

Related Doctors

View All

Surgical Procedures

View All

Be Healthy

View All

Health News

Watch & learn

View All
GET A WEEKLY DOSE OF HEALTHY INSPIRATION
GET A WEEKLY DOSE OF HEALTHY INSPIRATION
Please enter required fields.
Subscription Successful.
Already Subscribed.
Enter Valid Email Address.