Hello! Health reporter Olivia Willis here, bringing you up to speed on all things health and wellbeing.
This week, Australian sunscreen products were back in the spotlight after an additional 10 were pulled from shelves over concerns about their sun protection claims.
Australia's medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), says 21 sunscreens that share the same base formulation have now been recalled, paused or are under review.
On Tuesday, the TGA revealed it had "significant concerns" about the reliability of SPF testing undertaken by a UK testing laboratory that many sunscreen brands in Australia use.
And yesterday, in a 7:30 exclusive, two former employees of that lab told the ABC about what they allege is questionable data and testing practices.
While the TGA continues to investigate, Australians are being urged to keep wearing sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer.
"People should still have confidence in the vast majority of sunscreen products, and they should still provide adequate protection from the sun, especially if used frequently," Julian Rait from the Australian Medical Association said.
To find out more about which sunscreens have been caught up in the recalls (and whether you should start shopping for an alternative), the excellent Paige Cockburn — former health newsletterer! — has got you covered.
In other news this week, registered nurses are set to prescribe medication in a "huge change" to Australia's health system.
And over in the US, a team of scientists has developed a "proof-of-concept" technique they say has the potential to one day help infertile people have their own biological children.
While the research is in extremely early stages, it highlights a completely new way of developing reproductive cells outside the body. Whoa!
I'll catch you next week.
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