Latest news with #consumerSafety
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent nationwide recall for OTC cold meds amid fears they could cause fatal fungal BRAIN infections
Officials have issued a recall for multiple cold remedy nasal swabs over fears of a fungi contamination that can cause deadly infections. The Food and Drug Administration has asked consumers to stop using Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam Nasal AllClear Swabs and Orajel Baby Teething Swabs immediately. According to manufacturer Church & Dwight Co., the cotton swab parts of each individual product may have a 'potential microbial contamination identified as fungi'. Officials warn that if used, the possible fungi contamination can cause serious and life-threatening blood infections in patients. The federal agency also noted that children and adults with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical conditions were at the highest risk of developing a fatal infection. Because the swabs are insert deep in the nose, there is a risk the infection could travel to the brain. While it remains unclear which fungi has been found in the products, they can enter the body through contaminated medical products such as swabs, surgical procedures or simply through air and cause blood infections. The FDA has asked consumers to throw away both Zicam products with lot numbers 732216301205 and 732216301656 and Orajel products with number 310310400002. The agency has also asked consumers to reach out to the manufacturer for a full refund. As of now, no reports of illness or death have been revealed by the agency. The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the United States and in Puerto Rico. While Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs and Orajel Baby Teething Swabs continue to be sold and available in pharmacies, Zicam Nasal AllClear Swabs were discontinued in December 2024. Additionally, the FDA assured consumers that all other Zicam and Orajel products, including Zicam RapidMelts are safe to use to cure colds. Both of the recalled Zicam nasal swabs are meant to soothe and shorten the duration of a cold by rubbing the gel-covered cotton part of the swab inside each nostril. According to the company's website, the gel formula covering the swabs contain plant-based active ingredients including Galphimia glauca, Luffa operculata and Sabadilla. Similarly, the Orajel Baby Teething Swabs are used to to help soothe infants who may be teething, upset, cranky or fussy. However in this case, rubbing the contaminated part of swab inside your nostril or inside the mouth may introduce the fungi into your bloodstream and cause an infection. To fight the infection, the immune system releases chemicals into the bloodstream that can cause widespread inflammation in the body. This can lead to sepsis - which can cause damage to tissues, organ failure and death. Treatment for a blood infection typically involves antifungal medications. In a statement, the FDA explained: 'Swabs found to contain microbial contamination can potentially present a significant risk to the health and safety of consumers including serious and life-threatening blood infections in users whose nasal mucosa may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries.' Typical symptoms of a fungi-caused blood infection include fever, chills, lethargy, and pain. If left untreated, it can lead to organ failure and in certain cases, death. In the US, the most common fungus known to cause bloodstream infections is Candida. About 25,000 Americans suffer from candida blood infections every year.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Haribo recalls sweets ‘after they were found to contain CANNABIS and caused multiple adults and children to fall ill'
Haribo has urgently recalled packets of sweets after they were allegedly found to contain cannabis when several people fell ill. The substance was reportedly found after several members of the same family, both children and adults, felt unwell after eating Happy Cola F!ZZ and contacted the police. An investigation into the sweets has been launched, according to a spokesperson for the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The NVWA said it was involved in the investigation and confirmed 'samples were taken and cannabis was found in them.' 'We immediately contacted Haribo and they issued a safety warning,' a spokesperson for the NVWA told Hart van Nederland'. 'How the cannabis ended up in the sweets is still unknown. The police are investigating this further,' the NVWA added. The company earlier said that there were products in circulation that can cause health problems, such as dizziness. A Haribo spokesperson said: 'The incident is contained to the Netherlands, to a specific product and batch. HARIBO products in the UK are not affected. 'The safety of our consumers is our highest priority and HARIBO takes this incident very seriously, which is why a recall has been issued in the Netherlands. 'HARIBO is working closely with the authorities to support their investigation and establish the facts around the contamination.' The recall applies to packages with the production code L341-4002307906. Other production codes of Happy Cola F!ZZ, and all other Haribo products, should be safe to eat, according to the company. Consumers are asked by the candy manufacturer not to return the product to the store, but to send it to the company. They will then receive a refund. It is not yet clear what the size of the contaminated batch of sweets is.
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘A new form of mass murder': the terrifying, twisty unsolved mystery of the Tylenol killer
'You've got an old one, huh?' asks James Lewis, eyeing the bottle of Tylenol with suspicion. 'No, just off the shelf today,' replies a voice off camera. 'You think I'm going to open this and get my fingerprints all over it?' Lewis asks, examining the bottle and finding it well sealed. 'I'm going to poke a hole in it. I've got the nails for that. Well, they're considerably smaller than they used to be. I haven't had one of these in my hands for a long time.' Then he's had enough. 'Oh, let's put that away. That might scare people.' Persuading Lewis to appear on camera was a coup for the makers of a new Netflix docuseries exploring a 1982 series of poisonings that resulted in the deaths of seven people in the Chicago area after they ingested Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide. Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders tells how Lewis, who sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson demanding $1m to stop the killings, came under suspicion but was only convicted of extortion. Despite extensive efforts, including a nationwide search and the involvement of the FBI, the perpetrator of the poisonings has never been identified or apprehended. The three-part docuseries by the Israeli directors Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines recalls how the deaths caused widespread panic and had a profound impact on consumer product safety regulations and the pharmaceutical industry. It examines lingering questions surrounding the investigation, the role of Johnson & Johnson and the possibility of other suspects. In a virtual interview from Tel Aviv, Guendelman says: 'What sparked our imagination about this story was when we realised the reason why we can't open our medical bottles or water bottles is because of the safety seals that were invented basically because this story. This is how we got into this story just by accident. 'When we realised it still is an open case, and has such a twisty, turny narrative to go by, we were hooked and we were actually shocked nobody ever told this definitive story about what was the biggest true crime story in America in the 80s.' Featuring interviews with people involved in the original investigation, victims' families and Lewis himself, Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders sets out how the most popular pain reliever became a source of dread. The nightmare began when 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, from Elk Grove Village, Illinois, felt sick one morning, took a Tylenol capsule, dropped to her bathroom floor and died soon after. On the same day, less than 10 miles away, Adam Janus, a 27-year-old postal worker, took two Tylenol capsules and died in hospital. That afternoon, Janus's brother Stanley Janus and Stanley's wife, Theresa, took Tylenol capsules from the same bottle. Both collapsed on the floor and died. Three more people in the Chicago suburbs died after taking Tylenol in the days that followed. They were 31-year-old Mary McFarland, 35-year-old Paula Prince and 27-year-old Mary 'Lynn' Reiner, who had just given birth to her fourth child. It is thought that more people, especially elderly people, probably died from the capsules without anyone knowing the cause. Cyanide poisoning is difficult to detect without a specific test. Indeed, at first the deaths were not seen as related, with paramedics often attributing them to natural causes such as heart attacks. But the connection was made when Helen Jensen, a nurse, visited the Janus home and noticed that six capsules were missing from the same Tylenol bottle. The realisation prompted police cars to slowly patrol the Chicago suburbs while warning over loudspeakers: 'Do not take Tylenol until further notice.' It also caused widespread panic across the nation, with millions of people terrified that their medication might be contaminated. Guendelman says: 'It created this mass hysteria. Halloween that year was sort of cancelled because America was so shocked, so afraid that eating, drinking or taking any pill from your cabinet might kill you because it might just poison you – the most mundane products you can imagine.' The investigation became the FBI's biggest up to that point, involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Pines says: 'It was a new form of mass murder that the world has never seen before and the FBI also regarded it as the first domestic terror attack in the US, because it was a motiveless crime, so very terrorist-like.' At first investigators considered the possibility of the tampering occurring within the manufacturing plants, but tainted bottles were found from different lot numbers produced at different facilities. It therefore seemed most likely that the tampering occurred after the product left the factory, probably by someone who bought or shoplifted bottles, added cyanide to them, and returned them to store shelves. The capsules' design made them easy to open and reseal. Lewis came to the attention of investigators after sending an extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson asking for $1m to halt the killings. Investigators traced the letter back to 'Robert Richardson', who was later identified as Lewis, a fugitive with a history of criminal activity. When Lewis was arrested in New York in 1982 after a nationwide manhunt, he gave investigators a detailed account of how the killer might have operated. He had a troubled past, including being charged with the dismemberment murder of a former client in 1978 – the charges were dismissed – and a conviction for mail fraud in a credit card scheme in 1981. Police described Lewis as a 'chameleon' who lived in several states, used at least 20 aliases and held many jobs, including computer specialist, tax accountant, importer of Indian tapestries and salesman of jewellery, pharmaceutical machinery and real estate. One former investigator says in the film: 'I believe that he is the one responsible for the Tylenol murders.' But the FBI was never able to definitively place Lewis in Chicago at the time of the poisonings; he claimed to be in New York with his wife. He consistently denied committing the murders, claiming the extortion letter was intended to frame someone he despised. He was convicted only of extortion related to the Tylenol case and served 12 years of a 20-year sentence. Lewis was charged in 2004 with rape, kidnapping and other offences for an alleged attack on a woman in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was jailed for three years while awaiting trial but prosecutors dismissed the charges on the day his trial was scheduled to begin after the victim refused to testify. Lewis died in 2023 at the age of 76. But by then had done an interview for the documentary after producer Molly Forster spent a year winning his trust. Guendelman explains: 'Hundreds of journalists over the years tried to basically get him in front of a camera or just for a written interview and he never agreed. 'What made it different this time was the fact that Molly gave him an opportunity to not just be James Lewis, the Tylenol man, the scary spooky boogeyman, but she also referred to him as a human being and told him that he has a story to tell and he wanted to tell his story.' He adds: 'We didn't give him an easy time. We asked him all the hard questions and he was aware of it. But we had his trust and he knew that we were gonna tell his story in any case from a holistic standpoint.' The idea of buying a bottle of Tylenol and presenting Lewis with it only occurred to the directors a day before the interview. Tentative at first, Lewis used his long nails to open the safety seal, took out some caplets and used a knife to see if it would still be possible to introduce a chemical agent (it isn't). Pines says: 'It was a very amusing scene, I guess, or maybe slightly disturbing; it depends how you view it. But it goes to show you this guy's character and how mischievous he is. He likes to walk this fine line where he enjoyed the notoriety of this case without having to take the blame for it.' Guendelman chimes in: 'When we gave him this, he said everybody who tries to open these bottles swears his name. It's this kind of playful remark which is as close as it can get to a confession by him, that he might have done it.' He reflects: 'When you have these interviews with your main characters when you do a series or a film, you try to bring something unexpected to get a different reaction from them, which will not be just your normal question and answer. We always try to figure out something different.' Did Lewis do it? Guendelman comments: 'He's a weird character and he's surprising. I don't want to say too many good things about him because of the horrific things that he's been suspected of with very substantial evidence against him, but at the same time he is charming at times and sweet and funny. 'When you sit with him for a couple of days, it is weird because most of the time you feel like no way this guy can do this. But then every once in a while you see something shift for a few seconds and you realise, oh yeah, he can.' Johnson & Johnson's handling of the crisis is often cited as a model for corporate crisis management. The company initiated a massive nationwide recall of Tylenol products, the biggest in history at that time, and was praised for its cooperation with law enforcement. Guendelman reflects: 'When you go to business school nowadays, probably the biggest case study about crisis management will be how Johnson & Johnson reacted to this case. They were the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world. 'Tylenol was the bestselling drug in the world and everybody thought as soon as this happened, their brand is gone, maybe even the whole company is gone. But two months later they came back stronger than ever and actually sold even more Tylenol, which is insane. So one thing is for sure: they reacted very well in terms of a commercial point of view.' Pines adds: 'When we started working on this doc, most people that we talked to, including most family members, were convinced that Jim Lewis is the culprit because that's the story that's been told over and over again from '82 until now.' But there were other theories that suggest Johnson & Johnson may have been at fault in some way. 'There are things we show in the series that make you raise your eyebrow or feel unsettled, like the fact that they initially denied having any cyanide in any of the plants where the Tylenol was manufactured, and that turned out to be false – there was cyanide a few hundred feet from the manufacturing chain at those specific plants for [quality control].' Concerns are also raised about Johnson & Johnson's involvement in testing the recalled bottles and the subsequent destruction of millions of capsules, potentially hindering the investigation and the ability to find further evidence. 'A lot of people think that maybe that's something that shouldn't have been done because they were in a conflict of interests,' Pines says. 'I do think that, especially following the opioid crisis in the US, it's very important to look at Johnson & Johnson's behaviour in this case, especially when you realise what was at stake for them back then and today.' Four years after the Chicago poisonings, another woman died in Yonkers from cyanide-laced Tylenol. Two other sealed bottles containing cyanide were found in a nearby pharmacy. This occurred after the introduction of safety seals, suggesting the tampering must have happened before the bottles left the factory, raising further questions about the possibility of inside involvement or a different perpetrator. The Tylenol murders led to significant changes in how over-the-counter medications are packaged and regulated. In 1983, Congress passed the 'Tylenol Bill', making it a federal crime to tamper with consumer products. Johnson & Johnson, in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration, introduced new tamper-proof packaging, including foil seals and other features designed to make tampering obvious. These tamper-evident packaging requirements soon became the industry standard for all over-the-counter medications. Johnson & Johnson also introduced a new form of the medication, the 'caplet', which was harder to tamper with than the older capsules. Some victims' families believe the focus on Lewis may have prevented a thorough investigation of other potential culprits. FBI interviews with Johnson & Johnson executives remain under seal to this day. Guendelman says: 'We hope by doing this documentary the FBI will look at other possible directions that they never looked at. Every case can be solved, even especially a case which is so big, sparks such a huge investigation, has millions of pieces of evidence connected to it. I'm sure nowadays with technology and with a fresh look, there is a chance to solve it.' Pines also hopes the documentary will encourage viewers to be more sceptical of the long-established narrative. 'It's a very different true crime series because whenever we watch a murder case in a series it's usually very gory: there's usually a murder weapon, a knife or a gun, a direct contact between the murderer and the victim. 'This crime has no motive, no contact: the murder weapon is basically the most everyday thing that you can think of, an innocent thing, and this is what actually makes it so terrifying, much more than the bloodiest murder – this uncanny feeling that something that is supposed to make you feel better becomes an instrument of death.' Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders is available on Netflix on 26 May
The Sun
19-05-2025
- The Sun
Third degree burns, facial paralysis – the dangers lurking in your make-up bag & why TikTok is making it worse than ever
WHILE we'd all be quick to throw out a condiment that's been lurking in the fridge for years, or throw out a veggie that's started wrinkling, we rarely look at our makeup kits in the same way. But it's time you started, as we reveal the dangers lurking inside your make-up bag - that could lead to allergic reactions, burns and even paralysis. 11 The Real Deal? You can buy pretty much anything on TikTok Shop, from freeze-dried candy, Birkenstock dupes and even makeup products. In fact, over 800 million people have made purchases through the app, including me. While I've rarely had an issue with the products bought, one buy has put me off ever buying skincare or makeup from it again. I saw a pack of four lip stain dupes for just £5 on the site (the pricier version was £20 for one) and quickly snapped them up. After applying the stain and letting it sit for five minutes (the brand recommends 20 minutes) I headed out for the night with my partner and friends, and when I woke up in the morning, I was left horrified. I was instantly hit with searing pain as I opened my eyes, and quickly rushed to the bathroom to see what was going on. My lips had tripled in size, giving me a trout pout that felt like it was about to burst open. Even after a few antihistamines, the swelling and pain was still there. Fortunately, the swelling had completely gone by the next day, but it did leave me concerned for others who might buy goods that aren't in line with safety regulations in the UK just because it was a few pounds cheaper. 11 Woman issues warning against £3 Home Bargains beauty buy as her lips are left 'ripped and bleeding' after using it While TikTok prohibits 'the advertising and sale' of all counterfeit products, I was able to find plenty on the app - from 'whitening' skin creams containing the illegal ingredient, hydroquinone, prescription-only skincare and those pesky lip stains. Many of the products sold via TikTok Shop are made in China and shipped to the UK (like the product I bought), according to TikTok's listings data, with details about their origin and manufacturing processes unknown. This makes it even harder to ask questions if you do get a reaction, as it's almost impossible to contact the manufacturer. The shop was one name, the brand was another, and then another brand name appeared on the product image making it impossible to track down. And as TikTok surges in popularity, it is a growing problem. Since its launch, TikTok Shop's gross merchandise value (GMV) has skyrocketed from roughly $1 billion in 2021 to an astonishing $33 billion in 2024. Tests of seized counterfeit cosmetics by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit have previously found that many contain 'toxic levels' of arsenic, mercury and lead reports The Guardian. The issue is that more and more of us are influenced to buy counterfeits and product 'dupes' by our favourite influencers. In fact, a 2021 report for the Intellectual Property Office found that the role of influencers was key to affecting consumer purchases of counterfeit products. Of 1,000 women aged 16 to 60 who were surveyed, 13% said they had been prompted by social media endorsements to buy counterfeit products. Not all dupes are the same though, while retailers like Aldi and Lidl are praised for their offerings, they also adhere to the safety standards in the UK, while buying online can make it trickier to know if your purchase is safe. A TikTok spokesperson told Fabulous: 'As per our policies, sellers who wish to list beauty products on TikTok Shop must ensure that their products are safe for customers and are compliant with applicable laws and regulations and we have removed listings which breach these rules. "The safety of our customers is our priority, and we have strict measures in place to ensure that our sellers comply with regulations and safety standards. "TikTok Shop takes strict action against sellers infringing IPR and we have removed listings for violating our policies in this area. "TikTok has policies and processes to protect customers and promote a trustworthy shopping experience. This includes policies on what can and can't be sold, seller registration and verification requirements, and features like product reviews, reporting tools, and easy returns." They add that TikTok has invested nearly $1 billion in tools, technologies, and people, to protect customers, sellers, brands, and our marketplace from counterfeit activities, fraudulent behavior, and other instances of abuse. "TikTok Shop maintains a range of policies that apply to buyers, sellers, and creators, as well as their products, to keep our community safe. "These policies and our actions reflect our values and commitment to ensuring that we remain a trusted destination for online consumers. From July to December 2024, we rejected 50 million listings, removed more than 90K restricted or prohibited products after listing, declined 1.6 million seller account registrations, removed e-commerce features from more than 700,000 creators. They also add that they uphold Intellectual Property Rights and have prevented 7 million products from going live for infringing on this and removed more than 650k livestreams and videos for IPR infringements. Of course, TikTok is not the only company to face this issue. A schoolgirl suffered third-degree burns after using nail glue bought on Temu. Chloe Norris, 11, needed skin grafts after her entire hands started burning and blistering after attempting to glue on fake nails. Chloe was sitting with her now-traumatised mother when she decided to stick on the falsies with an adhesive called BVB Bond, which she had ordered from the discount site. Moments later, she was "screaming out in pain" as the glue "burnt through every layer of skin" in front of her eyes. Temu has since said it's "deeply saddened" by what happened to Chloe and has offered £1,500 in credit as a goodwill gesture. 11 11 How to spot them Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Sophie Momen, at the Cadogan Clinic said using prescription products and skincare without buying from a reputable source can damage your skin for good. She says: 'These products may contain illegal, banned or undisclosed ingredients such as corticosteroids, hydroquinone or mercury, which can lead to thinning skin, hormonal disruption, pigmentation disorders and permanent damage. 'Without professional guidance, misuse of potent actives like tretinoin or steroids can result in severe irritation, chemical burns or rebound effects.' The skincare expert also revealed you should always double-check your makeup and ensure you aren't buying counterfeits. She explains to Fabulous: 'Key warning signs include suspiciously low prices, unfamiliar retailers, misspelt labels, and missing batch codes or expiry details. "Authentic products from reputable brands undergo dermatological testing and comply with safety regulations, whereas fakes may contain high levels of heavy metals, unapproved dyes or microbial contamination. "Using counterfeit products can cause severe allergic reactions, burns, or long-term damage to the skin barrier. Always buy from trusted stockists, and if the product smells off, feels different, or causes irritation, stop using it immediately.' Dirty Work Counterfeit products may seem like the biggest concern, but dirty makeup brushes can also pose serious dangers. 11 Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Sophie Momen, at the Cadogan Clinic revealed that it won't just cause acne, but can also cause staph or fungal infections. One mum was left paralysed after simply using her friends makeup brush to cover a spot. Jo Gilchrist, 36, didn't know her friend had a boil at the time that was infected. About a month later, the single mum from Queensland, Australia, started enduring agonising pain, which she put down to back ache. She was airlifted to the hospital as she was left paralysed from the shoulders down. The tests revealed Jo actually had a deadly MRSA staph infection, which had invaded her body through a small opening in her skin. Jo was warned she could die but managed to make a recovery and has regained mobility, but it serves as a stark warning to clean your brushes and to never share them. Aventus Clinic conducted a study on how dirty makeup brushes are when not cleaned regularly. Testing 12 brushes from different areas of the face, 11 were found to be filthier than a toilet seat, with eyeshadow and blusher tools being the worst offenders. Overall, 4364 colonies of yeast and bacteria were found across all items tested. To ensure your make-up brushes don't harbour bacteria - and even mould, make sure you give them a wash at least once a week. 11 Out with the Old We've all rummaged in our makeup bag only to find a well-loved and long-lost lippy at the bottom. 11 And while you might be eager to slap it on, it's best put in the bin. One TikToker, BeastEater went viral last year after showing the severe reaction she got from using expired skincare. After being in so much pain I finally agreed to go to the hospital four days after. BeastEater She slathered her face in the acne treatment which had gone off, and was left with severe burns and swelling. In the viral video that was viewed 34.6 million views she said: "After being in so much pain I finally agreed to go to the hospital four days after. "I won't bring any attention to the brand because this was 1000% my fault and I still absolutely adore the brand. "I just want to be a voice and let everyone know to routinely check all make-up and skincare product expiration dates." The same can be said for make-up, especially those in liquid or cream form. Dr Momen said: "Over time, makeup products degrade and lose their integrity, allowing microbial growth, especially in moist products like mascara or cream foundation." She added that this can lead to acne, irritations, eye infections and fungal infections as well.
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Luxury Bugaboo Giraffe high chair recalled after being sold at Baby Bunting and Baby Kingdom
Luxury baby brand Bugaboo has recalled its Giraffe high chair over safety concerns. The high chair retails for $499 if parents splurge for the pillow set or $350 for just the frame at major retail chains Baby Kingdom and Baby Bunting. A fault with the high chair's screws has led to a recall notice to be published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 'The screws connecting the legs to the frame can become loose and may detach when a baby or toddler is seated with or without the baby set accessory of the high chair,' the notice read. 'Risk of serious injury from falling if the chair detaches from the frame while in use. 'There have been incidents and an injury involving babies.' Buyers have been warned to stop using the high chair immediately and to contact Bugaboo for a repair kit to replace the screws. The high chair has also been recalled in major Bugaboo customer base, the UK. 'A safety issue has come to our attention on the Bugaboo Giraffe that could affect stability if the screws weren't fully tightened by consumers during set up,' a Bugaboo spokesperson told 'In response, we're proactively offering a free repair kit to all customers with improved components designed to prevent this from occurring. 'Bugaboo is proactively contacting all Giraffe high chair customers to emphasise the importance of correct assembly and to offer a free repair kit. 'This kit includes updated screws, an improved tool, and clear instructions to improve secure installation of all components. 'This initiative underscores Bugaboo's unwavering commitment to the safety and reliability of every Bugaboo product. 'No other Bugaboo products are affected by this update.'
