Newly Launched SaferProducts.gov Provides Defective Product News

The Consumer Products Safety Commission has launched a new product safety information database, which aims to help consumer identify and report defective products for the utmost consumer protection.

SaferProducts.gov will also assist the government in identifying hazardous products quickly and more efficiently.

“Through SaferProducts.gov consumers will have open access to product safety information that they have never seen before and the information will empower them to make safer choices,” said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

Product liability attorneys know hundreds of defective products are marketed to consumers each year. Defective vehicles, dangerous child products and dangerous medical devices are among the most common. While companies have an obligation to ensure their products are say, they too often fail — putting profits before consumer safety.

The new system gives the CPSC five days to review online reports and forward concerns to the manufacturer, when warranted. The manufacturer then has 10 days to respond before the report and the manufacturer’s comments are posted at SaferProducts.gov.

In thousands of cases, the role a defective product plays in a serious or fatal injury may go undetected. The one-vehicle accident may not be linked to a stuck accelerator or fatal injuries may never be linked to a faulty airbag for instance. This is particularly true with medical products or dangerous pharmaceuticals; patients expect to be helped, not harmed. Yet pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers are among the most egregious offenders when it comes to developing and marketing dangerous or deadly products.

“I believe that an informed consumer is an empowered consumer,” added Chairman Tenenbaum. “The ability for parents and consumers to search this database for incidents involving a product they already own or are thinking of purchasing will enable them to make independent decisions aimed at keeping their family safe.”