**CONSUMER ALERT** Pats Exotic Beverage Recalls “Carrot Juice” Beverage, “Carrot Beet” Beverage, “Carrot Lime” Beverage and “Cucumber” Beverage Due to Possible Health Risk

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker today alerted consumers that Pats Exotic Beverages Inc., located at 2919 Tiemann Avenue, Bronx, New York, is recalling all packages of “Carrot Juice” beverage, “Carrot Beet” beverage, “Carrot Lime” beverage and “Cucumber” beverage, because the products have been determined to be inadequately processed and may contain food borne pathogens. Food borne pathogens can cause a variety of symptoms including vomiting, abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea, fever, headaches, muscle pain or weakness, or death.

Justice Department Sues American Express, MasterCard and Visa to Eliminate Rules Restricting Price Competition; Reaches Settlement with Visa and MasterCard

Department to Litigate Against American Express to Promote Competition Among Credit
Card Networks Enabling Merchants to Benefit Consumers

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that it filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging rules that American Express, MasterCard and Visa have in place that prevent merchants from offering consumers discounts, rewards and information about card costs, ultimately resulting in consumers paying more for their purchases. The department also said that the rules increase merchants’ costs of doing business. Joining the department in its lawsuit are the states of Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Read more

Fisher-Price Recalls Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway Due to Choking Hazard

Name of Product: Fisher-Price Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway

Units: About 100,000 in the U.S. and 20,000 in Canada

Importer: Fisher-Price of East Aurora, N.Y.

Hazard: The wheels on the purple and the green cars can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Fisher-Price has received two reports of a wheel detaching from a vehicle. No injuries have been reported. Read more

Fisher-Price Recalls Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs Due to Laceration Hazard

Name of Product: Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs

Units: About 950,000 high chairs in the U.S. and 125,000 in Canada

Importer: Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y.

Hazard: Children can fall on or against the pegs on the rear legs of the high chair resulting in injuries or lacerations. The pegs are used for high chair tray storage.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 14 reports of incidents, including seven reports of children requiring stitches and one tooth injury. One of these incidents was reported in Canada. Read more

Fisher-Price Recalls Infant Toys with Inflatable Balls Due to Choking Hazard

Name of Products: Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Cruise Playground™, Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Slide Arcade™, Baby Gymtastics™ Play Wall, Ocean Wonders™ Kick & Crawl™ Aquarium (C3068 and H8094), 1-2-3 Tetherball™, Bat & Score Goal™

Units: About 2.8 million in the US and about 125,000 in Canada

Importer: Fisher-Price, of East Aurora, N.Y.

Hazard: The valve of the inflatable ball on these toys can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children. Read more

Fisher-Price Recalls Children’s Trikes Due to Risk of Serious Injury

Name of Product: Fisher Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles

Units: About 7 Million in the United States and 150,000 in Canada.

Manufacturer: Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y.

Hazard: A child can strike, sit or fall on the protruding plastic ignition key resulting in serious injury, including genital bleeding.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 10 reports of incidents resulting in injury. Six of the incidents required medical attention after young girls, ages two to three years old, fell against or on the protruding disc-shaped and D-shaped pretend key. Read more

FDA significantly restricts access to the diabetes drug Avandia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to patients with Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications. These new restrictions are in response to data that suggest an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated with Avandia. Read more

Children’s Hooded Jackets and Sweatshirts with Drawstrings Recalled By Burlington Coat Factory Due to Strangulation Hazard

Name of Product: Hooded Jackets and Sweatshirts

Units: About 10,000

Importer/Retailer: Burlington Coat Factory, of Burlington, N.J.

Hazard: The hooded jackets and sweatshirts have drawstrings through the hood and/or waist which can pose a strangulation or entrapment hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines (pdf) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. Read more

The Coleman Company Recalls Water-Activated Spotlights Due to Risk of Impact Injury

The Coleman Company Recalls Water-Activated Spotlights Due to Risk of Impact Injury

Name of Product: Coleman® WaterBeam™ 4D Water-Activated Floating Spotlights

Units: About 50,000 units

Manufacturer: Sky City Holdings International LTD, China

Distributor: The Coleman Company, Inc., of Wichita, Kansas

Hazard: The lens assembly can come apart from the main housing of the spotlight with force and pose a risk of impact injuries to consumers. Read more

Fun Stuff Recalls Children’s Toys Due to Choking Hazard

Name of Products: Click Armband Bracelets, Klick Klick Balls and BoBo Balls.

Units: About 14,400 Click Armband Bracelets, 7,900 Klick Klick Balls and 14,400 BoBo Balls

Distributor: Fun Stuff Inc., of Newport News, Va.

Hazard: The small balls on the end of the toy’s arms can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The toys were marketed for children age 3 and over. CPSC staff has designated these toys for children between the ages of 19 to 35 months. Read more

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