SPF 'confusion' as sunscreens under investigation not recalled

The TGA is still investigating 15 of the 16 sunscreens a Choice analysis found fell short of their SPF claims. (ABC News)

The national medicines regulator is still investigating 15 out of 16 sunscreens Choice found failed to meet their SPF claims.

The sunscreens have not been recalled, which was questioned in Senate estimates as being "confusing" for consumers.

The TGA is consulting on a range of changes aimed at addressing key concerns with the industry.

Almost all the sunscreens that failed to meet their SPF label claims are still being investigated by health authorities nearly a year later, with the nation's medicines regulator conceding the process has "taken a long time".

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) told a Senate estimates hearing this week it was still investigating 15 of the 16 sunscreens a Choice analysis found fell short of their SPF claims.

Under questioning from independent Senator David Pocock, senior TGA official Avinash Clarke told the hearing the TGA intended to conclude the investigations soon.

"I appreciate your point, Senator, that they have taken a long time," he said.

"We did focus our efforts on those sunscreens that we thought were most unsafe."

David Pocock says the delayed process is making it difficult for consumers to select a safe sunscreen. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

The TGA said the sunscreens had not been recalled while they were being investigated, meaning they could still be sold to consumers.

Speaking after the hearing, Senator Pocock told the ABC the process had left Australians in the dark about what sunscreens they should purchase.

"I certainly find it confusing, I am really not that sure what to buy next time I go to buy sunscreen and that is not the situation we want Australians to be in, in one of the countries that has some of the highest skin cancer rates in the world," he said.

"This is the job of the TGA, and this is something that we absolutely have to ensure that we get it on top of soon."

Ultra Violette Lean Screen was pulled from the market. (ABC News: Billy Cooper)

The lowest performing sunscreen in the Choice testing was Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Sunscreen, which returned a rating of SPF 4.

It was recalled in the wake of the consumer test results, alongside another 19 other sunscreens that shared the same base formula.

But the TGA acknowledged that there was still no outcome from the investigation into the other 15 sunscreens, which did not meet their label claims.

Of those, seven SPF 50 and SPF 50+ sunscreens returned results in the 20s.

These sun