GARDAI believe that artificial sun tanning treatment was responsible for the death of a 39 year old Dublin man. This view is shared by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which last night called for a full inquiry into the death of Mr Sean Kelly of Braemor Road, Churchtown.
Mr Kelly died in St James's Hospital yesterday morning after suffering a heart attack believed to have been brought on by extensive burns. He had been admitted with 70 per cent burns, which gardai believe were caused by sessions on a sun bed in a Dublin health club.
Mr Kelly is understood to have had a three minute session on a sun bed which was, in fact, a stand up unit, on January 22nd. He returned to the club for a second session the following day, but it is not clear how long the treatment lasted on that occasion.
Mr Kelly's skin began to blister after the sessions and he went to his doctor, who immediately sent him to St Vincent's Hospital, from where he was transferred to the burns unit in St James's.
Last night, the president of the IMO, Dr Henry Finnegan, called on the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, to order a full inquiry into the circumstances of Mr Kelly's death.
Mr Kelly suffered from psoriasis, a common skin complaint. Ultra violet light can be of benefit to sufferers and sometimes patients are advised by a doctor to take either a sun holiday or a number of moderate sessions on a sun bed.
However, Dr Finnegan said that, in the aftermath of this death, an inquiry was needed. "If that inquiry finds that a tragedy like this can happen, the use of the high powered tanning units should be reviewed."
Last night, the Irish Cancer Society warned people to be extremely cautious when using sun beds. The society's health promotion manager, Ms Avril Gillatt, said that there were no controls in this area at present, despite the potential dangers involved. "We really have no idea how much exposure an individual's skin can take," she said.
"We always warn people to use sun beds with extreme caution. Fair skinned people should not use them at all."