Rochester's Vanicream gets kudos as suncreen product

A Rochester company is making national news after its products ranked high in a study of brand-name sunscreens.

Pharmaceutical Specialties, Inc., the makers of the Vanicream skin care products, had three products ranked high in a study of the effectiveness of almost 800 brand name sunscreens.

The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research organization, tested more than 700 products for effectiveness and safety. Of those, the group found that 84 percent of those with an SPF rating of 15 or higher offered inadequate protection or contain ingredients with safety concerns.

However, the group also named the 128 best sunscreens and Vanicream products ranked at No. 5 for its Sunscreen Sport, No. 12 for Suncreen for Sensitive Skin SPF 60 and No. 31 for Vanicream Suncreen for Sensitive Skin SPF 30.

"We are very pleased to see our formulas do so well," said Brian Leary, PSI's Director of Marketing. "It is nice to get recognized."

With mentions on national television newscasts and health Web sites, Leary is watching interest in Vanicream products spike quickly.

"We do expect to see a bump in sales," he said.

PSI has almost 50 employees in Rochester. The company was founded by two Mayo Clinic pharmacists in 1975.