FDA Approves European UV Filter Bemotrizinol, Making US Sunscreens More Effective

FDA Greenlights Advanced UV Filter, Boosting American Sunscreen Performance

As beachgoers and poolside relaxers head into the hottest months, a newly authorized chemical filter promises to make sun protection more reliable.

The ingredient, known as bemotrizinol, has secured approval from the Food and Drug Administration, joining a roster of filters that have long been standard in European and Asian sunscreen formulations. It attenuates both UVA radiation, which accelerates skin aging and wrinkle formation, and UVB radiation, the primary cause of sunburn.

Research led by Michael Kwa, an assistant professor of dermatology at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, highlighted the disparity between U.S. and overseas markets. In a 2022 study, Kwa and co‑authors documented that numerous innovative sunscreen components were already accessible abroad but remained unavailable domestically (source).

Kwa emphasizes that the FDA’s decision represents a meaningful stride for consumer health, noting that the addition of bemotrizinol expands the protective spectrum of over‑the‑counter sunscreens and aligns U.S. products with international safety standards.

The full story appears in Why sunscreen just got more effective in the United States on Futurity.