KID, consumer, medical groups applaud CPSC for unanimously voting to move forward with a proposal to remove dangerous sleep products from the market.

American Academy of Pediatrics · Kids In Danger · Consumer Federation of America · U.S. PIRG Education Fund · Public Citizen

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Media contacts:

Nancy A. Cowles, Kids In Danger, 312-595-0649, nancy@kidsindanger.org
Rachel Weintraub, Consumer Federation of America, 202-939-1012, rweintraub@consumerfed.org
Jamie Poslosky, American Academy of Pediatrics, 202-347-8600, jposlosky@aap.org
Adam Garber, U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 267-515-1220, adam@pirg.org
David Rosen, Public Citizen, 202-588-7742, drosen@citizen.org

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Consumer and Medical Groups Applaud U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for Unanimously Voting to Move Forward with a Proposal to Remove Dangerous Sleep Products from the Market

Groups Urge Immediate Recall of All Infant Inclined Sleep Products and Urge Consumers Not to Use Them

(Washington, D.C.) – A coalition of consumer and medical groups praised the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today for voting unanimously to propose a new (Supplemental NPR) to adopt an Infant Sleep Product Standard that would essentially ban inclined sleep products and end the current practice of allowing new infant inclined sleep products to enter the market without safety testing.

Inclined infant sleep products include free-standing products like the Fisher Price Rock ‘N Play and Kids II Rocking Sleeper that have been involved in dozens of deaths and were recalled last year. This class of products also includes the previously recalled Nap Nanny, a low-to-the- ground foam device that has led to six infant deaths, and infant hammocks. Despite these problems, many other inclined infant sleep products remain on the market.

The Supplemental NPR requires all infant sleep products to meet safety standards already used for products like bassinets, including requiring a flat surface, no restraints, and adequate side height to contain an infant.

The Supplemental NPR cited a report commissioned by the CPSC written by Erin Mannen, Ph.D. The report examined how 10 infants move and use their muscles on flat inclined sleep products and whether these products directly impact safety. The study concluded that, “none of the inclined sleep products that were tested and evaluated as part of this study are safe for infant sleep.” These findings are consistent with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and our organizations.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Consumer Federation of America (CFA), Kids In Danger (KID), Public Citizen and U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (U.S. PIRG) applaud the CPSC’s vote, and now urge the CPSC to immediately recall all inclined sleep products still being sold.

The groups urge companies manufacturing and selling these products to swiftly remove them from store shelves and cooperate with the CPSC to issue complete and effective recalls for all previously sold inclined sleep products. The groups also urge all stakeholders to educate consumers and child care providers to remove these products from homes and child care facilities immediately.

“This unanimous vote by CPSC is a major step forward for safe sleep. If finalized, this proposal would finally offer parents needed reassurance that any product marketed as safe for infant sleep would indeed be safe for their child. This new standard will save lives, and we urge CPSC to implement it right away,” stated Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Dozens of babies have died in unsafe infant sleep products such as inclined rocking sleepers, Nap Nanny sleepers and more,” stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. “This Supplemental NPR will require companies to develop safe products before they enter the market.”

“We applaud the CPSC for voting to move forward of this lifesaving rule,” stated Rachel Weintraub, legislative Director and General Counsel, Consumer Federation of America. “We urge the CPSC to immediately recall of all inclined sleep products on the market.”

“Today’s unanimous vote will help prevent more unnecessary infant deaths,” said Adam Garber, U.S. PIRG Education Fund Consumer Watchdog. “It’s past time for all of these dangerous products to be recalled and the CPSC should aggressively work to notify consumers of the danger posed by these inclined sleepers.”

“The CPSC is engaging in important data-driven policymaking. While they were slow to address the dangers of inclined sleep products, it appears that they are now fully aware of the importance of quickly putting rules in place to places the safety of babies before all other considerations,” said Remington A. Gregg, Counsel for Civil Justice and Consumer Rights at Public Citizen.