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HEALTH

Sun creams ‘protect less than they claim’

A new French study into sun creams has put into question how much consumers can trust the factor given on the front of the bottle.

Published: 15 August 2012 11:20 CEST
Sun creams 'protect less than they claim'
Photo: Andy (Mooby)

Research lead by the University of Nantes has found that nearly one in three sun creams tested offered a lot less protection than the factor given by the manufacturer.

A few sun creams claiming to offer factor 60 protection were found to in fact only give about a factor 30, for example.

Researchers say this may be the case because of the anti-inflammatory element in the lotions.

When tested on human skin, the anti-inflammatory delays the development of redness, which allows manufacturers to give it a higher factor. But a delay in visible burning does not mean the user is getting a higher level of protection.

Speaking daily national paper La Libération, one researcher tried to explain this occurrence.

“Pressure from organic lobby groups means manufacturers are looking to replace the biological filters traditionally used in sun creams… And it is impossible to get high factors of protection with [the replacement filters],” said Laurence Coiffard.

But sun lotion manufacturers vehemently deny their product is not up to scratch, and claim the research is “not validated by any authority”.

The method used by the university is not yet recognised by any regulating body, despite being used in this study on sun creams for the past 10 years.

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HEALTH

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde has warned that, despite increasing activity at hospitals, it will be some time before current waiting lists are reduced.

Published: 10 May 2023 15:09 CEST
Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

The message comes as Løhde was set to meet with officials from regional health authorities on Wednesday to discuss the progress of an acute plan for the Danish health system, launched at the end of last year in an effort to reduce a backlog of waiting times which built up during the coronavirus crisis.

An agreement with regional health authorities on an “acute” spending plan to address the most serious challenges faced by the health services agreed in February, providing 2 billion kroner by the end of 2024.

READ ALSO: What exactly is wrong with the Danish health system?

The national organisation for the health authorities, Danske Regioner, said to newspaper Jyllands-Posten earlier this week that progress on clearing the waiting lists was ahead of schedule.

Some 245,300 operations were completed in the first quarter of this year, 10 percent more than in the same period in 2022 and over the agreed number.

Løhde said that the figures show measures from the acute plan are “beginning to work”.

“It’s positive but even though it suggests that the trend is going the right way, we’re far from our goal and it’s important to keep it up so that we get there,” she said.

“I certainly won’t be satisfied until waiting times are brought down,” she said.

“As long as we are in the process of doing postponed operations, we will unfortunately continue to see a further increase [in waiting times],” Løhde said.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we retain a high activity this year and in 2024,” she added.

Although the government set aside 2 billion kroner in total for the plan, the regional authorities expect the portion of that to be spent in 2023 to run out by the end of the summer. They have therefore asked for some of the 2024 spending to be brought forward.

Løhde is so far reluctant to meet that request according to Jyllands-Posten.

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