The AADA celebrated Melanoma Monday on May 3 by hosting a Capitol Hill briefing about the dangers of indoor tanning.
During the briefing, Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Charlie Dent introduced H.R. 1676, the Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act of 2011. The act requests that the FDA reevaluate tanning bed restrictions and reclassify them as a class II or III device, which would give the FDA greater regulatory power over tanning beds. Tanning beds are currently classified as a class I device, which includes medical items such as tongue depressors and bandages.
In light of mounting scientific evidence that demonstrates that indoor tanning increases the risk for developing skin cancer — including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer — a contingent of national health care organizations joined the AADA to highlight the dangers of indoor tanning. Physicians from these organizations are concerned about the effect of indoor tanning on public health, particularly as it applies to young women.
The AADA's partners for the event included the following groups:
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Physicians
- American Medical Association
- American Osteopathic Association
- Melanoma Research Foundation
- National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention
- The Skin Cancer Foundation
The briefing featured AADA President Ronald Moy, MD; Congressman Charlie Dent; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch Chief Mary C. White; and Jessica Lilley, MD, a melanoma survivor and pediatrician.
Immediately following the briefing, AADA members Susan Elliott, MD, Larry Green, MD, and Ali Hendi, MD, joined Dr. Moy to perform 50 free skin cancer screenings.