The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) launched an important new tool and resource for pediatricians and other health care providers as well as parents and families:
SaferProducts.gov, an online database to report injuries or hazards posed by consumer products.
Established as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the Safer Products site allows physicians, parents, and others to report incidents involving consumer products that caused harm or could have caused harm.
Examples of reportable incidents might include:
- A child's ingestion of a small part that broke off a toy
- An injury caused when a child fell out of a crib, cradle, bassinet, or bunk bed
- An infant's rash linked to a detergent or cleansing product meant for use with babies
As reports are collated, they will be made available online without identifying information so pediatricians and family members can search the database for reports associated with specific products or classes of products.
Names and other identifying information will not be made public. The database is meant only for reports of harms or potential safety risks, not for complaints about the effectiveness or utility of products.
Learn more at SaferProducts.gov. A short informational video about filing reports is also available online.
