Where to get safety recall info?

By Philip Copitch, Ph.D.

Almost everyday you hear that something is good for you or bad for you. Caffeine is a life saver, or shortens your life. One research article says this, another says that.

Most of the time I have low expectations for the accuracy of the information as reported in the major media. I expect that most of the time the data will be misinterpreted and reported incorrectly. I am surprised when they get it right.

But in the area of product safety I need correct reporting. I trust one source above all others and consult their website regularly. This website brings together valuable information from many government departments such as:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which has jurisdiction over recalls involving the following:

• drugs 

• vaccines 

• medical devices 

• other biologics 

• blood and plasma products 

• veterinary products 

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) which has jurisdiction over more than 15,000 kinds of consumer products used in and around the home, in sports, recreation and schools including:

• appliances 

• clothing 

• electronic / electrical 

• furniture 

• household 

• children's products 

• lighting / lighter 

• outdoor 

• sports / exercise

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation provides recall information including vehicle and equipment campaigns from 1966 to present. The campaigns include motor vehicle products which experienced a safety-related defect or did not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards:

• motor vehicles & related equipment 

• child safety seats 

• tires

• FoodSafety.gov provides the latest information on all food recalls and alerts as well as food illness outbreaks

And others...

The site is www.Recalls.gov

The website has a wealth of information concerning dangerous products and food. You can get daily emails concerning all the areas they cover, or you can specify which ones you are interested in - for example, maybe you only want recalls concerning infant and children, or school buses.

If you have an Android Smartphone you can get an app that allows you to put in a product by name and see if it has any safety issues. This mobile app is great for garage sale buyers. Before you buy that gently used crib, make sure it is safe for your pride and joy.

Look for Recalls.gov in the Android app store. Or learn more and download the app at: Recalls.gov - Android Apps on Google Play

To my surprise, I could not find this app in the Apple app store. Hopefully it will show up soon.

Parent Alert: Tide Pods may look like candy to children

By Philip Copitch, Ph.D.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a popular new form of laundry detergent may be mistaken by children as candy:

Since 2010, laundry detergent pods have become a growing component of the U.S. laundry detergent market, and have been available in other countries. Based on data from other countries, exposures to laundry detergent pods more often occur among children, and exposure to laundry detergent from pods appears to be associated with adverse health effects more often than does non-pod laundry detergent exposure.

Tide Pods laundry detergent

 The bright packaging may be confusing to children:

The CDC advises:

To children, laundry detergent pods might look like candy. As with other household cleaners, these products should be kept out of reach and out of sight of children. Laundry detergent pod exposures might be associated with increased frequency and severity of adverse health effects when compared with non-pod exposures.

Parents and caregivers should be particularly aware that young children might be drawn to laundry detergent pods because of their candy-like appearance, and that exposure to laundry detergent from pods has been associated with more severe adverse health effects. Parents need to ensure they can prevent children from gaining access to household cleaning products, particularly laundry detergent pods. Clinicians and caregivers are encouraged to report laundry detergent exposures and cases of associated illness to their local poison center by calling 1-800-222-1222.

Health Hazards Associated with Laundry Detergent Pods — United States, May–June 2012

On a positive note

Procter & Gamble Co., the maker of Tide announced it will make Tide Pods more difficult to open.

A double latch will be put on the lid of Tide Pod tubs and should be in markets in the next couple of weeks, P&G spokesman Paul Fox said.