From Tylenol to Fitbit: 10 Notable Product Safety Recalls
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Version 0 of 1. The government’s primary products watchdog, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, announces recalls on at least one product every day, on average. Sometimes they go unnoticed by consumers; other times, buyers are injured — or worse — by defective goods. Below are 10 notable recalls from the last 40 years. Problem: Fuel tank placement caused fires after collisions Number of incidents: 27 deaths and 24 injuries The landmark auto-safety scandal led to the first criminal charges against an American corporation for a defective product. A jury acquitted Ford. Problem: Poisoned pills Number of incidents: 7 deaths Seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol capsules that had been laced with cyanide. The perpetrator was never caught. In the crime’s aftermath, tamper-proof seals became an industry standard. Problem: Tire failures and tread separations Number of incidents: 271 deaths Ford Explorer S.U.V.s were the vehicles most heavily affected by one of the deadliest known vehicle defects. More than 14 million tires were recalled. Problem: Contained lead Number of incidents: Zero America’s largest-ever consumer goods recall involved 150 million pieces of toy jewelry sold in vending machines for 75 cents or less. Recalled for containing lead that could harm children if swallowed, the jewelry was never linked to any reported injuries. Problem: Increased heart attack risk Number of incidents: Linked to 27,000 heart attacks or deaths Prescribed to around 80 million people worldwide to treat acute pain and other conditions, Vioxx was withdrawn from the market after a clinical trial showed that it doubled the risk of heart attacks, strokes and death. Merck agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle 27,000 consumer lawsuits. Problem: Melamine contamination Number of incidents: 14 cat and dog deaths More than 5,000 pet food products were recalled for melamine contamination. The scandal led to stricter pet food safety rules and a broader investigation into the safety of Chinese-made food products. Problem: Improper inspections Number of incidents: Zero America’s largest-ever meat recall required 143 million pounds of beef to be removed from the market because the processor did not properly inspect and isolate sick animals. But it was designated a low-risk recall, and no illnesses were ever reported. Problem: Salmonella contamination Number of incidents: 714 confirmed illnesses A salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter and other products was believed to have sickened as many as 22,000 people. The fallout bankrupted the Peanut Corporation of America and led to a criminal conviction against its chief executive. Problem: Skin rashes Number of incidents: 10,150 injuries reported Fitbit recalled 1.1 million Fitbit Force wrist fitness trackers after some buyers had allergic reactions to the device’s materials. The Consumer Product Safety Commission received more than 10,000 incident reports, making it the agency’s second-largest recall in terms of reported injuries. (The largest was a trampoline with defective netting, linked to nearly 11,000 injury reports.) Problem: Fire risk Number of incidents: Not yet tallied No widespread recall has been issued yet, but federal regulators are investigating reports of at least 52 hoverboard-related fires. In February, they issued a warning that prompted many major retailers to stop selling the trendy toys. |