Sunbeds Cause 5.4% of Irish Melanomas, Costing up to €9.7 Million Annually

A coalition of health organizations is advocating for a total ban on sunbeds in Ireland, citing their direct responsibility for 5.4 per cent of all melanoma skin cancers in the country. Prof Anne-Marie Tobin, a consultant dermatologist at Tallaght University Hospital, stated that approximately 70 people in Ireland are diagnosed with sunbed-related melanomas annually. Treating these cancers could cost taxpayers up to €9.7 million each year.

The risk of developing melanoma increases by 75 per cent for individuals who use sunbeds before age 35. Despite legislation prohibiting sunbed use for those under 18, research indicates that one in 20 children aged 10 to 17 have used tanning machines. The number of melanoma diagnoses is projected to double by 2045.

Gill Costelloe, a patient advocate with Melanoma Support Ireland, shared her experience of living with stage four melanoma due to past sunbed use. Her melanoma recurred five years after initial removal and spread throughout her body. She continues to receive treatment four years post-diagnosis.

Earlier this year, the Department of Health’s Sunbed Working Group recommended a blanket ban on commercial sunbeds in Ireland. The coalition includes the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Skin Foundation, and Melanoma Support Ireland, among others.