RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A Critical Appraisal of the Recent Reports on Sunbeds from the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks and from the World Health Organization
JF Anticancer Research
JO Anticancer Res
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 1111
OP 1120
VO 38
IS 2
A1 JÖRG REICHRATH
A1 PELLE G. LINDQVIST
A1 FRANK R. DE GRUIJL
A1 STEFAN PILZ
A1 SAMANTHA M. KIMBALL
A1 WILLIAM B. GRANT
A1 MICHAEL F. HOLICK
YR 2018
UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/38/2/1111.abstract
AB The European Commission's Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks and the World Health Organization recently published reports which concluded that a large proportion of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer is attributable to sunbed use, and that there is no need to use sunbeds as there are no health benefits and they are not needed to achieve an optimal vitamin D level. The overall conclusion from both bodies was that there is no safe limit for UV irradiance from sunbeds. We are, however, deeply concerned that these assessments appear to be based on an incomplete, unbalanced and non-critical evaluation of the literature. Therefore, we rebut these conclusions by addressing the incomplete analysis of the adverse health effects of UV and sunbed exposure (what is ‘safe’?) and the censored representation of beneficial effects, not only but especially from vitamin D production. The stance taken by both agencies is not sufficiently supported by the data and in particular, current scientific knowledge does not support the conclusion sunbed use increases melanoma risk.