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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

Danish parties agree to raise abortion limit to 18 weeks

Denmark's government has struck a deal with four other parties to raise the point in a pregnancy from which a foetus can be aborted from 12 weeks to 18 weeks, in the first big change to Danish abortion law in 50 years.

Published: 3 May 2024 08:06 CEST
Danish parties agree to raise abortion limit to 18 weeks

The government struck the deal with the Socialist Left Party, the Red Green Alliance, the Social Liberal Party and the Alternative party, last week with the formal announcement made on Monday  

“In terms of health, there is no evidence for the current week limit, nor is there anything to suggest that there will be significantly more or later abortions by moving the week limit,” Sophie Løhde, Denmark’s Minister of the Interior and Health, said in a press release announcing the deal.

The move follows the recommendations of Denmark’s Ethics Council, which in September 2023 proposed raising the term limit, pointing out that Denmark had one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Western Europe. 

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Under the deal, the seven parties, together with the Liberal Alliance and the Conservatives, have also entered into an agreement to replace the five regional abortion bodies with a new national abortion board, which will be based in Aarhus. 

From July 1st, 2025, this new board will be able to grant permission for abortions after the 18th week of pregnancy if there are special considerations to take into account. 

The parties have also agreed to grant 15-17-year-olds the right to have an abortion without parental consent or permission from the abortion board.

Marie Bjerre, Denmark’s minister for Digitalization and Equality, said in the press release that this followed logically from the age of sexual consent, which is 15 years old in Denmark. 

“Choosing whether to have an abortion is a difficult situation, and I hope that young women would get the support of their parents. But if there is disagreement, it must ultimately be the young woman’s own decision whether she wants to be a mother,” she said. 

The bill will be tabled in parliament over the coming year with the changes then coming into force on June 1st, 2025.

The right to free abortion was introduced in Denmark in 1973. 

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