In short:

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says 21 sunscreens that share the same base formulation have been recalled, paused or are under its review.

The TGA says it has "significant concerns" about the reliability of SPF testing undertaken by Princeton Consumer Research (PCR), an overseas laboratory many sunscreen brands used to support their SPF claims.

The agency says it has written to PCR about its concerns, but has not received a response.

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[–] shirro@aussie.zone 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I saw a youtube video once with a person who had used Asian sunscreens wondering what was going on with the Australian ones which felt a lot worse. She put a variety on her back in squares and went in the sun. Not my usual watch but reasonably decent citizen science stuff. I don't take health advice from youtubers but clearly basic sunscreen testing has trivial testing requirements that don't require a lot of expensive lab equipment. That we took assurances from for profit companies that paid for profit foreign testing laboratories at their word instead of do the most basic testing to verify them is kind of crazy. I think this happens too often in this country.

Edit: Found the video Is Australian Sunscreen ACTUALLY stronger than Asian Sunscreen? - I wouldn't take it as purchase advice. The presenter would be the first to acknowledge faults in her testing I think, But its interesting to see someone go through what is essentially the scientific process and compare it to the years authorities have just accepted the cosmetic industries numbers without verification. Science without replication is worthless.

Obviously you need to be careful going down this line of reasoning. People who become experts reading their conspiratorial social media feed and listening to their alternative health practitioner aren't in a position to be influencing complicated public health matters. But sunscreen you can ab test on yourself and while you won't be able to tell how much of the harmful spectrum a particular product blocks, which is still important, you can definitely throw out the one that gets you sunburnt much faster. It seems odd in a country that used to pride itself on innovation that nobody was doing this.