BASF Supports the Sunscreen Innovation Act

FLORHAM PARK, NJ--(Marketwired - Sep 17, 2014) -  As a member of the Public Access to Sun Screens (PASS) Coalition, BASF (LSE: BFA) supports the Sunscreen Innovation Act, which today was approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), led by Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Republican Lamar Alexander (R-TN). The legislation reforms the current sunscreen approval process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by creating a timely and transparent process by which FDA will evaluate applications for new, safe and effective sunscreen ingredients, which are regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Enactment of this bill into law will help provide Americans access to the latest sunscreen ingredients, some of which have been widely available for 15 years in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

"BASF commends the Senate HELP committee and Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) for their leadership and support on moving Sunscreen Innovation Act forward. Today's vote represents a significant step towards ensuring the timely review of new sun protection ingredients by the FDA. BASF encourages the full Senate to consider the Act as soon as possible, and looks forward to continuing to focus on innovation and the development of new UV filters that will provide US consumers with a wider array of safe and effective sunscreen products," said Dirk Buengel, Senior Vice President Care Chemicals for BASF in North America.

The PASS Coalition is a multi-stakeholder coalition of health organizations, sunscreen ingredient companies, dermatologists and concerned citizens who worked collaboratively with the FDA, the White House, Congress, health providers, consumer organizations and sunscreen manufacturers to establish a framework for approval of the next generation of UV actives for Over-the-Counter (OTC) sunscreens.

If enacted into law, the Sunscreen Innovation Act can lead to FDA approval of BASF UV filters for OTC sunscreen products in the U.S., which include the Tinosorb and Uvinul lines of filters which are currently being sold in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Tinosorb® M is a BASF sunscreen active ingredient which provides exceptional UVA and UVB coverage. Tinosorb M combines the properties of both organic and inorganic sunscreen filters. It has high UV absorption like a soluble organic sunscreen active and the insolubility, low penetration and light scattering properties of an inorganic sunscreen active.