From the tell-us-something-we-don't-already-know department, pills that promise to provide UV protection don't work, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA has sent Warning Letters to companies illegally marketing pills and capsules labeled as dietary supplements that make unproven drug claims about protecting consumers from the harms that come from sun exposure without meeting the FDA’s standards for safety and effectiveness.
According to FDA, these companies, marketing products called Advanced Skin Brightening Formula, Sunsafe Rx, Solaricare and Sunergetic, are putting people’s health at risk by giving consumers a false sense of security that a dietary supplement could prevent sunburn, reduce early skin aging caused by the sun, or protect from the risks of skin cancer. These companies were instructed to correct all violations associated with their products and were advised to review product websites and product labeling to ensure that the claims they are making don’t violate federal law.
"Consumers should be watchful for unscrupulous companies making unproven claims. When the FDA sees companies taking advantage of people’s desire to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun — we’ll step in," said FDA in a statement. "There’s no pill or capsule that can replace your sunscreen."
