HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline)- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should end its year long delay and finally stop deceptive and misleading sunscreen labels and marketing, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a letter.

Blumenthal's letter urged the FDA to implement new rules and policies geared at protecting consumers from false sunscreen claims.

"Sunscreen makers across the board continue to make false claims on labels, including 'waterproof,' 'sweat proof' and SPF (sun protection factors) above 50," the attorney general said. "Such false claims may falsely convince consumers that they have blanket protection -- or prevent them from reapplying sunscreen, because waterproof and sweat proof claims are false."

In May 1999, FDA officials issued a final monograph for over the counter products, but later added amendments which led to an eight year idle.

Blumenthal said after three years of petitioning FDA officials, a new set of sunscreen regulations was published; however, the rules remain unapproved, inactive, and unenforceable.

He said because skin cancer has reached epidemic numbers, the FDA must do more to protect consumers from deceptive labels that claim false SPF numbers.

"Such false promises and promotions lead consumers to rely on ineffective products to protect their children and families, putting them at reprehensible risk," Blumenthal said.