Cancer charities in Ireland are calling on the government to ban sunbeds, warning that they contribute to rising melanoma rates. Campaigners are saying that treatment is costing the state millions.
Irish charities warn sunbeds are directly linked to skin cancers
A coalition of cancer charities, medical organisations, and advocacy groups has called on the Irish government to totally ban sunbeds in the country. The coalition has warned that sunbeds are contributing to rising melanoma rates in Ireland.
The newly formed coalition is called the Coalition Against Sunbeds. Members of the coalition include the Irish Cancer Society, Marie Keating Foundation, Irish College of GPs, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and Breakthrough Cancer Research. The group warns that sunbeds are directly linked to melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Additionally, the coalition cited EU research showing 5.4% of melanomas are attributed to sunbed use. The research also indicated that sunbed use before the age of 35 significantly increases the risk of cancer.
The coalition reports that doctors diagnosed approximately 1,460 individuals with melanoma in 2022. Out of those 1,460, an estimated 79 of those cases are linked to sunbed use. The World Health Organisation classifies ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds as a Group 1 carcinogen.
Furthermore, the coalition said treatment costs for melanoma cases caused by sunbeds could range from €337,251 to €9.7 million annually. It noted that treatment is costing the government millions.
A consultant dermatologist, Anne-Marie Tobin, said that the evidence linking sunbeds and cancer is clear.
“The WHO categorises sunbeds as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning their cancer risk is in the same category as tobacco and asbestos exposure,” she said.
Cancer coalition warns about underage use of sunbeds
The cancer coalition in Ireland has also raised concerns about underage use. Despite legislation prohibiting underage use, about one in 20 children aged between 10 and 17 reported having used sunbeds.
Moreover, Gill Costelloe, a patient advocate, said she developed stage four melanoma after using sunbeds when she was younger.
“My melanoma was caught early when I had a mole surgically removed, but five years later, it came back without any warning and spread right through my body. I’m doing a lot better 4 years on, but I will now be on cancer treatment for the rest of my life,” she said.
The coalition also warns that around 120,000 people in Ireland currently use sunbeds, and experts project that melanoma diagnoses will double by 2045. The coalition is one of the initiatives trying to battle the spread and treatment of cancer in the UK.