What happened: Due to industry pressure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed from its website information on the risk of melanoma cancer from indoor tanning. Specifically, due to lobbying from the American Suntanning Association, the CDC removed from its website information stating that the use of sunbeds can increase the risk of melanoma cancer by 75 percent.
Why it matters: The CDC censored scientific information from its website, thereby denying the public access to the best available scientific information. By removing this science-based information on the risk of melanoma cancer from sunbed use, the CDC prioritized industry interests over the health and safety of people across the nation.
Learn more about how the suntanning industry lobbied the CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to distort science.