As one of our Texas readers, you know that dangerous products make their way to the Lone Star State from time to time. Even though this can happen, some people find out after it is too late.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does its best to protect consumers from dangerous and defective products, doing whatever it takes to keep these out of circulation.
The FDA hears about potential problems in a variety of ways, including all of the following:
— A company discovers an issue with one of their products and contacts the FDA to discuss it.
— The FDA visits a manufacturing facility, leading to the belief that a recall may be necessary.
— The FDA receives reports of health concerns through a number of reporting systems.
— The FDA is contacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the safety of a product.
In the event that a food product is in question, the FDA typically finds out through the CDC. A spokesperson for the FDA said, “CDC hears about such problems from state health departments that have received and submitted illness reports. An ongoing outbreak means that we have an emergency, and when there’s a public health crisis like this, you need to tell the public immediately.”
Despite the best efforts of the FDA, CDC and other organizations to keep dangerous products away from consumers, there are times when this does not happen. If a person is injured, made ill or killed by such a product, the victim could eventually realize that speaking with an attorney is the next logical step.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “FDA 101: Product Recalls – From First Alert to Effectiveness Checks” Nov. 19, 2014