Expert Comment Written by
Dermatologists and all physicians who care for children should be interested in this study. Advocacy efforts aimed at protecting children from the dangers of UV radiation are succeeding. This is in part due to the countless hours spent educating children and parents in the clinic and the classroom, but, more importantly, it is the result of relentless, state-by-state education of legislators who have passed laws that directly impact teenage behavior through health policy.
The lesson learned is that the dermatology community should stay active and informed on policy issues that impact our patients and our practices. We must finish the work on the hazards of tanning in states that do not yet have strong regulations. In addition, we should work hard on regulation of deceptive practices by insurance companies, the national sustainable growth rate fix, and other issues that impact physicians in each state. This study clearly demonstrates that advocacy matters.
