Toy Industry Moves to Ensure Product Integrity
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Mattel, the world’s largest toymaker, had a reputation for a strong quality-assurance program in China. With many Christmas orders already in the pipeline, manufacturers and suppliers are scrambling to ensure the integrity of their products. Where Does the FDA Fit In? NPR.org, August 15, 2007 ยท Several federal departments and agencies share responsibility for making sure that products sold in the United States are safe. Toy safety, for example, is mostly monitored by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The United States Department of Agriculture checks meat quality, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulates cars. Oversight of drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and most food falls to the Food and Drug Administration. One Web site, www.recalls.gov, tracks recent actions taken by all those agencies. While steps that lead to a product recall can differ a bit from agency to agency, the FDA’s plan, as outlined below, is typical: What are recalls? Any of several types of actions taken to remove a product from the market because it may be harmful to the consumer. This can mean simply halting distribution of the product and removing it from store shelves. Reimbursing customers for products already purchased is not required by the FDA. More : npr.org |