FDA: Tanning is the New Cigarettes

Public health trends are important to follow if you’re planning to earn your living in the medical field.  As a certified nursing assistant or medical assistant, you’ll need to be aware and abreast of the latest public health and policy trends.  This is why I bring to your attention today, the new scrutiny facing the tanning bed industry from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Sitting under UV lamps to get one’s self a tan has been legal and relatively unregulated for years.  But recent scrutiny by the FDA has given rise to the idea that the tanning bed may represent a serious, long-term public health risk.  This article reveals that the FDA is moving towards restricting their use for minors.  This article goes as far as comparing the cancer risks involved with tanning to those posed by cigarette smoking.  Read, up and inform yourself on this issue so you can be knowledgeable about what will surely be a controversial topic for a subset of the patients you’ll serve after completing your nurse assistant certification with the Allen School.