The Health Council expresses major reservations concerning the decision recently taken by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to raise the category of UV-radiation and solariums to cancer risk category one and says that the supporting scientific documents provide no basis for this.
The Council states that “sunbathe sensibly and in moderation. As yet, there is no justification for making a distinction between sunbathing and the use of sunbeds” and continues in its letter to the Dutch Ministry which deals with health and consumer protection, that “it is not possible to state with certainty that the use of sunbeds is responsible for an increased incidence of melanomas”. In the statement the scientists belonging to the high-ranking panel also explain the positive effects of sufficiently supplying the human body with vitamin D pruduced in skin stimulated by UV radiation.
The Dutch Health Council is the Netherland’s most important scientific panel in the domain of health. Its studies, statements, and recommendations often form the basis for legislative proposals.
The letter from the Health Council of the Netherlands can be downloaded HERE
