Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, launched an investigation into the recall of inclined sleep products reportedly tied to the deaths of dozens of infants.
“These reports raise serious concerns about the internal and regulatory processes for introducing new products for infants and children into the market and the marketing tactics used to sell those products," Cummings and Krishnamoorthi wrote.
Cummings and Krishnamoorthi requested documents from three companies responsible for recalled inclined sleepers:
* Fisher-Price, a subsidiary of Mattel, reportedly released the Rock ‘n Play “with no clinical research into whether it was safe, and, rather than seeking the advice of pediatricians, consulted just a single doctor-a family physician from Texas whose expertise had already been doubted by judges and who would eventually lose his medical license." The design of the Rock ‘n Play also reportedly conflicted with longtime guidelines on safe infant sleep, yet Fisher-Price continued to market the product encouraging parents to allow infants to sleep “all night" long in the Rock ‘n Play.
* Dorel Juvenile Group recalled two models of inclined sleep products three months after Consumer Reports reported that inclined sleep products were tied to the deaths of more than thirty infants. Dorel continues to sell at least two other models of inclined sleep products.
* Kids II, Inc. recalled all models of its Rocking Sleepers 15 days after Consumer Reports reported that four infant deaths were tied to the Rocking Sleepers. The design of Rocking Sleepers reportedly conflicted with longtime guidelines on safe infant sleep.
Cummings and Krishnamoorthi also requested documents and briefings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, and ASTM International regarding injuries and deaths caused by these products.
