Italian dermatology society rebuts Debora Rasio's anti‑sunscreen claims
Nutritionist and oncology specialist Debora Rasio posted a viral video asserting that ultraviolet (UV) radiation does not cause melanoma and that sunscreen creams increase the risk of all skin cancers. The video cited a 2023 cohort study from the UK Biobank published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Health authorities and medical societies in Italy denounced the message as dangerous misinformation. The Italian Society of Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (SIDeMaST) reaffirmed that UV rays are carcinogenic, the main cause of skin tumours, and that sunscreen products are safe and essential for prevention when used correctly. The Federation of General Practitioners, the International Agency for Cancer Research and the Italian National Institute of Health also rejected Rasio's interpretation, noting that about 80 % of melanomas in 2022 were linked to UV exposure and labeling the video as fake news. The video was removed from Facebook and Instagram for containing false information. Experts emphasized that moderate, protected sun exposure provides vitamin D benefits, but excessive unprotected exposure must be avoided.
Entities: Debora Rasio · International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) · Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health) · Italian Society of Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (SIDeMaST) · UK Biobank study (2023)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Debora Rasio claimed that ultraviolet radiation does not cause melanoma. (Rasio)
- [● 3 SOURCES] SIDeMaST affirmed that sunscreen creams are safe and effective for preventing skin cancer when used correctly. (SIDeMaST)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Debora Rasio claimed that sunscreen creams increase the risk of all skin cancers. (Rasio)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The video cited a 2023 UK Biobank cohort study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. (Rasio)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Italian National Institute of Health called Rasio's statements fake news and said sunscreen is not harmful. (Istituto Superiore di Sanità)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The video was removed from Facebook and Instagram for containing misinformation. (Social platforms)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The International Agency for Cancer Research reported that about 80 % of melanomas in 2022 were attributable to UV exposure. (IARC)
- [● 3 SOURCES] SIDeMaST stated that ultraviolet rays are carcinogenic and the main cause of skin tumours. (SIDeMaST)