An Australian brand of sunscreen, Invisible Zinc, has been told to remove its “not nano” labeling from its website, as it is allegedly scaring the public. The Therapeutic Goods Advertising Complaints Resolution Panel (TGA CRP) found that the former manufacturer of Invisible Zinc was instilling fear and distress in consumers due to its “not nano” labeling. Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology spokesperson Elena McMaster said, “The TGA’s position on labelling is increasingly wrong-headed and at odds with what the public wants. What we’re seeing here is the regulator kowtowing to an anti-labelling backlash from some sunscreen manufacturers. This is not what the Australian public expects of our regulator. The government and regulators continue to drag their feet on this issue while teachers, unions and parents are all calling for informed choice and safe sunscreens. The latest attack on the public’s ‘right to know’ follows years of TGA inaction and suggests that our national medical regulator is acting in the interests of big industry rather than public health.” The Invisible Zinc company has refused to remove “not nano” from their advertising, citing consumer concerns over the use of nanoparticles in sunscreens, while the TGA has declined to provide any further information about its decision. Further action could result in a legally enforceable order to further discourage such labeling.
http://www.foe.org.au/nano-tech/media/news-items/front-page-news-feed-1/regulator-attacks-not-nano-labelling-1/view