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RFK Jr. clears path for minors' use of tanning beds, much to the dismay of dermatologists
The move drew more than 9,000 comments and leaves regulation of minors’ tanning to states with uneven rules, dermatologists said.
On March 16, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew a proposed Food and Drug Administration rule that would have banned minors from using indoor tanning beds.
Initially proposed in 2015, the regulation aimed to curb access to UV-emitting devices; Kennedy claimed the withdrawal was necessary to reconsider potential unintended consequences and alternative approaches.
Research shows tanning bed use before age 35 increases melanoma risk by 75%, and the World Health Organization classifies the devices as Group 1 carcinogens alongside tobacco and asbestos.
Dermatologists expressed dismay at the decision; Dr. Deborah S. Sarnoff, president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, stated the organization "won't be satisfied until tanning beds are banned in this country."
Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" agenda promotes regular sun exposure, despite the Skin Cancer Foundation's warning that there is "no such thing as a 'solar callus'" to protect users from harm.