In November 2019 researchers from Denmark published their assessment of the financial savings to society as a result of the Danish Sun Safety Campaign which targeted overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, i.e. sunbed use and sunburn. In 2015, in Denmark, 16,500 diagnoses of skin cancer were made. It has been estimated that 90% of skin cancers are avoidable. The researchers estimated that the Campaign had resulted in a reduction of 9,000 cases of skin cancer. This would translate into a saving to society of 47 million euros, 29 million euros from a reduction in cases of sunburn and 16 million euros from a reduction in sunbed use. When compared to the costs of running the Campaign, it was seen that every 1 euro spent on skin cancer prevention, 2.18 euros was saved from the Danish Health budget.
Køster B et al. Benefit-Cost Analysis of the Danish Sun Safety Campaign 2007-2015: Cost Savings from Sunburn and Sunbed Use Reduction and Derived Skin Cancer Reductions 2007-2040 in the Danish Population. Pharmacoecon Open. 2019 Nov 5. [Epub ahead of print]