WHO puts sunscreen on essential list for persons with albinism
By Ascah Mwango, September 6, 2025The World Health Organisation (WHO) has added SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen to its Model List of Essential Medicines for people with albinism.
The decision, announced on Friday, September 5, 2025, means sunscreen is now officially recognised as a life-saving product. People with albinism lack melanin, which makes their skin extremely vulnerable to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, putting them at very high risk of skin cancer.
Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, welcomed the move, calling it transformational, impactful and a game changer.
“Early last year, we embarked on a journey to put together an application to the WHO to request the addition of sunscreen to the Model Lists of Essential Medicines. The primary purpose of the application was to strongly advocate, with the backing of scientific data, for the inclusion of sunscreen in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and motivated by the urgent need to address the growing health concerns of skin cancer major cause of death for persons with albinism,” she said.
She praised the role of governments, scientists, activists, NGOs and people with albinism across the world for supporting the push.
“I am truly humbled and grateful for this unconditional solidarity… To them, this decision is dedicated, and for them, this mandate was created to complement their remarkable resilience and devotion to putting together the building blocks of a better world,” she added.
According to health experts, people with albinism are up to 1,000 times more likely to develop skin cancer compared to the general population, with many showing signs of severe skin damage by their twenties. Access to sunscreen has been a long-standing challenge in many countries, as the products are often too expensive or unavailable in public health facilities.
With the new classification, governments will be expected to make sunscreen widely available and affordable, especially in regions with high levels of sun exposure.
The campaign to have sunscreen listed as an essential medicine began in 2024. Miti-Drummond, together with the Global Albinism Alliance, Africa Albinism Network, Standing Voice, and other partners, applied the WHO.
Human Rights Watch and several grassroots networks also supported the effort, highlighting the daily struggles faced by people with albinism.
The WHO Expert Committee reviewed the evidence earlier this year and gave its approval in May 2025 during its meeting in Geneva.