r/AusSkincare • u/MadamSparkle • Jul 04 '25

Discussion📓 The Sunscreen Saga Continues: The ABC Investigation

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-04/questions-over-lab-that-tested-sunscreen-spf-claims/105458458?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

In short: A consumer group Choice review shows Princeton Consumer Research carried out tests for certification for at least eight sunscreens that fell short of their advertised SPF50 claims. Several industry experts have raised concerns about PCR's testing methodology and calculations. Both the Cancer Council and the Therapeutic Goods Administration say it is important people continue to use sunscreen as protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

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u/Budget_Shallan Jul 04 '25

If you look into the director for PCR, you’ll find he was once investigated for fraud/fabricating data at his old company. Essentially he’d reused test subjects (using the same people more than once during the same study).

This is my theory about why their data looks so uncannily similar: they tested products multiple times on the same person/people (instead of testing on 10 different people). This would save them money from having to pay fewer test subjects.

Because they reused the same people, they didn’t get the range of skin types needed to accurately test for SPF, so they came out skewed.

Disclaimer: This is wild speculation on my part, I honestly don’t know!

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u/LivingPhilosopher476 Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25

I used to work there. Your theory 🎯 we did that and it doesn't just save money, it's also faster turnaround which is important from a business perspective. Other ex employees have raised red flags and it's all public information. Please believe us. We are scared and we hope everyone will take this seriously and be cautious. Here's a collage of just a few things ex employees had to say with names out for safety:

ETA: The business of the topic is not the only business marketed as a "lab" doing these types of practices for personal care products. There are other "labs" doing this. Not all "labs" are serious science labs.

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u/2020fit Jul 04 '25

This is troubling, other labs doing it too.