A year after ‘sunscreen gate’, the TGA announces overhaul of the way SPF products are regulated

October 27, 2026 — 3:47pmIt’s been more than a year since a bombshell report from consumer advocacy group CHOICE about Australian sunscreens made global headlines. The ensuing fallout (dubbed “sunscreen gate”) prompted questions about how the country’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), oversees sunscreen manufacturing and testing.Today, the TGA announced the long-awaited outcome of its public consultation into sunscreen regulation, which aims to make sunscreen safer in a country with the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world.Under current requirements, sunscreens are only tested on a small group of human volunteers.Monique WestermannWhat happened?In June 2025, independent testing by CHOICE testing found 16 out of 20 popular Australian sunscreens failed to meet their SPF claims. This included products from household names such as Cancer Council, Neutrogena and Ultra Violette.The TGA launched an investigation into the sunscreens that failed, opening up consultation into regulatory reform and recalling a spate of sunscreens that had not been tested by CHOICE.The fallout also triggered scrutiny over sunscreen manufacturing and test-lab practices.What is being proposed?Under the current approvals model in Australia, the TGA does not conduct pre-market evaluation of test results. Brands are merely expected to hold proof of testing at the time of listing, which is typically only conducted once – on the base formula of a sunscreen – rather than on the final product.The current model for SPF testing – which relies on a small sample of human volunteers – is also inherently variable, a feat acknowledged by the therapeutic goods regulator and industry experts.According to the TGA, the consultation group received more than 120 recommendations from industry, testing laboratories, health professionals, consumer groups, academia and other stakeholders between March and May this year.Proposed reforms include conducting SPF testing on a finished product and at regular intervals throughout its lifespan, clearer labelling, introducing non-human (in vitro) testing methods and mandating that SPF results come from accredited or certified laboratories.“Our investigation has identified multiple factors that could contribute to low SPF results – not a single cause. This reform document sets out a targeted response: stronger testing, quality requirements for specific ingredients and clearer manufacturing expectations,” says Professor Robyn Langham, chief medical officer for the TGA.The TGA could not confirm a specific timeline for the changes, but said reforms would be implemented in stages, with further consultation where necessary.Is it enough?Dr Michelle Wong, a cosmetic chemist who contributed to the consultation, says she is pleased to see the TGA take action, noting the regulator has not opted to maintain the status quo on any of the points.But she says the real test will be in the “nitty-gritty” of how the regulator rolls out proposed changes.For example, while the TGA is proposing regular testing of products at “appropriate points” to make sure SPF claims stack up, Wong says it has not specified what it means by “appropriate”, and how regularly re-testing will be required.A spokesperson for Consumer Healthcare Products Australia (CHP), a peak body representing the manufacturers and distributors of such products, and which was involved in the consultation, says, “some of the TGA’s proposals reflect the issues we raised, including more flexible SPF testing and stronger checks on testing laboratories”.However, CHP urges “caution on changes that could add cost and complexity without clearly improving results”.CHP is working closely with the TGA to ensure businesses have enough time to adjust to regulatory changes, and that a transition period does not mean extra costs are passed on to consumers or that consumers are left without products on shelves due to testing delays or additional fees.The CHP spokesperson also points out that the TGA has yet to release the results of its investigation into the sunscreens from CHOICE’s report, making it difficult for stakeholders to identify the exact issues at hand.Andy Kelly, director of consumer impact at CHOICE, welcomes the regulator’s proposed reforms, but thinks the changes should go further.“The TGA is not proposing to routinely monitor and evaluate test results. Sunscreen brands would also only be required to provide test results confidentially to the TGA.“In the interest of transparency and public safety, we believe these results should be made available to everyone and that the TGA should routinely monitor test results, as well as conduct its own compliance testing program,” he says.Ultimately, Wong urges consumers to maintain trust in the safety and efficacy of Australian sunscreens.“I think a lot of people tend to see this as, ‘Australian sunscreens are extra bad, which is why they needed this reform’.“Australia is actually ahead of most of the world in fixing this problem. The same [regulatory] problems are there for almost every other country.”Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.From our partners