On March 18, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Reebok International Ltd. will pay a $ 1,000,000 civil penalty for importing and distributing charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead. In March 2006, a four year old boy from Minneapolis swallowed the bracelet’s heart shaped pendant and died.
The penalty is the largest for a violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), which bans toxic levels of lead in toys and other children’s products. Reebok denied that it violated federal law in settling the matter according to the CPSC.
The million dollar fine will not bring the boy back to life. The CPSC took two years, since his tragic death to (more…)
Archive for the ‘Medical/health’ Category
Lead and Magnets – More News from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008Big Brother is On the Move…..again!
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008Today, March 18, 2008, the “Personal Journal” section of The Wall Street Journal carried an article titled “Why Hospitals Want Your Credit Report.” There are many companies that specialize in data mining; accumulating a mass of personal information ranging from your buying habits and political inclinations, to your credit rating. The list includes health care specialization companies such as SearchAmerica, Inc., Fair Isacc Corp, and Healthcare Analytics. It seems that hospitals want credit information in order to concentrate on patients that have the ability to pay. The next step of this slippery slope (more…)
I’m From The Government and I’m Here To Help You…Trust Me!
Friday, February 22nd, 2008Having scheduled my annual physical examination, I was at the point of checking in with the receptionist when she asked me to fill out a new form. Another of the many reasons why I hate going to a doctor’s office, but I just mentally checked it off as just another form necessary for today’s bureaucratically managed health care system. When I looked at the form I was a bit taken aback, not because it asked me to confirm much of my medical history they already had, but because (more…)
