Out of the shadows and into the light: Dassi Ehrlich talks about the future with Leah Boulton
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SBS Australia
2 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Victoria to open Australia's second permanent pill testing site
The service will offer testing for most substances - and act as an early detection point for authorities on the lookout for highly dangerous synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and Nitazenes, which can be mixed with other drugs. The decision puts Victoria in a unique position on drug policy, as Australia's states and territories grapple with how to balance harm minimisation with increasingly tough law and order approaches. Listen to the full story on our podcast. SBS Japanese 18/06/2025 06:48 Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page!
SBS Australia
2 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Australia's sunscreen showdown — and why SPF might be misunderstood
Some of Australia's most popular sunscreens are not meeting their own SPF rating claims, according to Choice, which recently tested 20 products. Source: Getty / Amparo Garcia A popular sunscreen brand is at the centre of controversy after a consumer group's study claimed it failed to meet its advertised Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 50+ protection ratings, but an expert says the metric is widely misunderstood. Choice, which tested 20 SPF50 or 50+ sunscreens in an "external laboratory that has specialist expertise and equipment", found that only four met their SPF claims, while 16 failed. The worst performer, according to the results — Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mineral Mattifying Zinc Sunscreen, which returned a rating of four — has rejected the findings, questioning the validity of the group's testing methodology. Michelle Wong, a cosmetic chemist and a science communicator at Lab Muffin Beauty Science, said: "I think a lot of people expect that SPF is a very solid number when in reality it's not." "The more you apply, the less the variation in SPF matters. If you're applying, let's say half of an SPF50, you would get SPF25," she told SBS News. Wong said the bigger concern is under-application, as studies show people often tend to underapply their sunscreens. "If you apply enough of the recommended amount [of sunscreen], then anything above SPF30 is going to give a lot of protection," she said. Ultra Violette has strongly refuted Choice's test results and said it is continuing to investigate. A statement on its website said: "Lean Screen contains 22.75 per cent zinc oxide, a level at which, when applied sufficiently, would render a testing result of SPF4 scientifically impossible." The brand's co-founder, Ava Chandler-Matthews, accused Choice of using unreliable testing methods in a social media post. The brand's website states Lean Screen had recorded an SPF of 64.32 in 2021, as per internal testing conducted to support the product's listing in the public database — the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Then, in April 2025, it retested the same batch used by Choice, yielding a result of SPF 61.7, as stated on their website. Ultra Violette has also criticised the advocacy group for testing what it says was a "small" batch of the product. "Two blind tests with a very small sample size are not substantial in comparison to the extensive rounds of testing with supporting documentation Ultra Violette have conducted in accordance with the TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] testing guidelines," a statement said. In response, Choice CEO Ashley de Silva doubled down on its methodology and findings, saying: "CHOICE stands by its rigorous, independent sunscreen testing, conducted under the guidance of industry experts in specialised, accredited laboratories." Choice said all products were blind-tested by a 10-person panel. The sunscreens were decanted into amber glass jars (which block UV light and prevent ingredient breakdown), sealed, labelled, and transported by a Sydney-based accredited lab. "After Ultra Violette's product returned an SPF of 4 when tested at the Sydney lab, we sent a different batch to an accredited, specialised laboratory in Germany, the Normec Schrader Institute, for a validation test," de Silva said. The validation test returned an SPF of 5. Cancer Council Australia — whose three products missed the mark according to Choice's test results — said white it is concerned about the findings, separate testing by its product sponsor has shown "compliance with their labelled SPF rating". It also acknowledged SPF testing, conducted on human skin, "can produce variable results between laboratories, even when the same standards are followed". The TGA last week said it was investigating the Choice findings. The medicines watchdog said there could be variability in SPF testing results across laboratories, due to the reliance on human subject testing. It said a number of the Choice-tested products returned results in the range of SPF 30, which provide "high protection" and are effective. "Given Australia's high incidence of skin cancer, the TGA reiterates that using sunscreen is an important measure to prevent harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, in addition to seeking shade, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, wearing protective clothing and using sunglasses," the TGA said. Makeup-compatible sunscreens are desirable for their non-greasy, non-chalky and zero-white cast finish. While suitable sometimes, including for indoor or shady activity, Wong said "cosmetically elegant sunscreens" are ultimately "less robust". " The protection you get from a sunscreen depends a lot on how intact that sunscreen layer is. To make a sunscreen stay on your skin in an intact layer, a lot of the time you have to sacrifice texture," she said. "If you are getting lots of exposure, generally water resistance is a good thing to look for because that means it's been tested in quite extreme conditions, which means it should last through a lot of activity." She also urged other sun safety practices, including wearing layered clothing. Share this with family and friends
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
One person has died after an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Sydney
One person has died following an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Sydney's CBD prompting authorities to issue a health alert. NSW Health said 12 people who spent time in the city and surrounding suburbs between March and April had contracted the deadly disease. 'Sadly, one of the people who contracted the disease passed away in hospital last week,' a NSW Health spokesman said on Wednesday. Authorities tested more than 165 cooling towers in the city and detected legionella bacteria in one. The cooling tower is being decontaminated and further tests are being conducted to determine if it was the source of the outbreak. Anyone who was in the Sydney CBD and surrounding suburbs between March and April is urged to be aware of symptoms including fever, chills, coughing and shortness of breath. Symptoms can develop up to 10 days after exposure and anyone who experiences symptoms should see their doctor. South Eastern Sydney Local Heath District Public Health Unit Director Vicky Sheppeard said 11 people with the disease had been hospitalised and one person received care out of hospital. 'Legionnaires' disease is caused by infection with legionella bacteria,' Dr Sheppeard said. 'Outbreaks sometimes occur when bacteria from environmental sources such as cooling towers atop large buildings become contaminated. It is not spread from person to person. 'NSW Health continues to work closely with the City of Sydney to identify, inspect and sample any cooling towers in the CBD potentially implicated in the outbreak. 'Most building owners have responded quickly to ensure that their cooling towers are operated and maintained in compliance with the NSW Public Health Regulation 2022.'
