Should Ireland be next in introducing free sun cream?

By Deputy Features Editor Oisín Henebery

This year, the Netherlands will become the first country in Europe to offer free sun cream to its citizens, in a move targeted at reducing record high national skin cancer diagnoses. 

Across a range of venues varying from schools and universities to festivals and parks, dispensers will now be available, offering protection to all against sun exposure. The Dutch government has outlined their goal of shifting sun cream application from a casual convention to a regular routine, not unlike brushing one’s teeth. Referencing statistics showcasing skin cancer rates at an all-time national high, the Government’s resolve has hardened to fight this worrying trend. 

But what about Ireland? While we may not wish to tempt the whims of the weather, it remains that skin cancer continues to rate as the most common form of cancer in Ireland, according to the Irish Cancer Society (ICA).

The primary cause of this form of cancer has been attributed to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV), a form of radiation found mostly in sunlight. Exposure to this UV radiation, coupled with characteristics such as fair skin, which burns easily, render many Irish people particularly susceptible to this disease. Accordingly, the National Cancer Registry of Ireland expects the current number of skin cancer cases to double by 2040. 

With statistics as alarming as these, it would seem that an approach similar to that adopted in the Netherlands should form part of any future healthcare strategy in Ireland. With the Irish government intent on tackling alcohol related health problems by the introduction of health-warnings on individual alcoholic drinks, a health measure designed to fight the increasingly prevalent risk of skin disease may be even more necessary.

As acknowledged by officials in the Dutch government, the main barrier to such a proposal is the price of providing sun cream to all citizens. It is accepted that the cost of such a widespread rollout is considerable. Even so, experts responding to the Dutch government’s proposals indicate the possibility of long-term savings resulting from a reduction in skin related diseases. Fewer hospital admissions, fewer treatments and fewer work absences could all help to balance the cost of this new measure.

But that may not even be the point. Sun cream is proven to significantly reduce the likelihood of suffering from skin cancer. As such, any measure that balances the cost of sun cream now against the risk of illness in the future contradicts the basic ethos that it is better to prevent than heal. The impact of exposure to UV radiation in early life also means that parents’ play a huge roll in the protection of their children. With high quality sun cream coming at a price, and with families and students suffering under the continuing strain of high costs, free sun cream could remove the lottery from sun protection. Further, in line with a desire to normalise the application of suncream, statistics from the ICA stating that one in three Irish people are not worried about sun burn suggest that sun cream application remains absent from many people’s daily routine.

The Netherlands may well be the first in a line of countries not just recognising, but tackling the dangers posed by excessive unprotected sun exposure. By transforming sun cream application into a habit, and reducing the inequality of access to sun cream, it is hoped that this will help to fight growing numbers of skin related diseases. However, it remains to be seen whether a similar policy initiative will gain traction in Ireland.