The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) report was commissioned by the four UK Departments of Health. The report made a number of recommendations including:
- the introduction of regulation of commercial use of sunbeds;
- inspection of commercial sunbed outlets;
- Government should review its funding for skin cancer awareness campaigns; and
- further research should be done into sunbed usage and associated risks.
The Minister said: “I am grateful to the COMARE Committee for the advice contained in this report. In Northern Ireland the incidence of melanoma skin cancer cases has been increasing over the past twenty-five years - from 80 cases in 1984 to 233 in 2007.
“In addition, every year there are around 2,500 non-melanoma skin cancers, making it the most common type of cancer diagnosed in Northern Ireland. This is very worrying and every step must be taken to prevent further increases of skin cancer cases.
“I will consider carefully the findings and recommendations from this report as well as other available evidence before deciding if the sunbed industry in Northern Ireland should be regulated."
Notes to Editors:
- The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) was established in November 1985 and its terms of reference are “to assess and advise Government and the devolved authorities on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation and to assess the adequacy of the available data and the need for further research”.
- In 2007, the Welsh Assembly Government, supported by the Scottish Government, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Department of Health commissioned COMARE to provide advice regarding the safety of ultraviolet sunbeds in the UK.
- The report assessed the health effects and the risks from exposure to ultraviolet radiation from artificial tanning devices such as sunbeds or sunlamps that are used on commercial premises or are available to buy or hire for use in the home.
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