"Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" by Chase Laboratories under the Geneva Generics label, contai...
CPSC Recall #92-061 — March 9, 1992
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 92-061 |
| Recall Date | March 9, 1992 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | 70,000 bottles |
Product
"Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" by Chase Laboratories under the Geneva Generics label, containing 100 tablets of vitamins with iron
Description
PRODUCT: "Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" by Chase Laboratories under the Geneva Generics label, containing 100 tablets of vitamins with iron. PROBLEM: Lack of child-resistant closure means that a child could accidentally swallow these vitamins with iron. Just four or five tablets if consumed by a child at one time can cause serious illness or death. WHAT TO DO: Immediately return the "Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" (100-tablet bottles) to the store where purchased for a refund of the purchase price. WASHINGTON, DC - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Chase Laboratories, Inc. of Newark, NJ is voluntarily recalling their 100 tablet bottles of "Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" packaged under the Geneva Generics label because they are not packaged with child-resistant closures. The product intended for pregnant or lactating women, contains 60 milligrams of iron per tablet. The iron contained in just four or five tablets, if consumed by a child at one time, can cause serious illness or death. The recalled Prenatal Vitamins contain 100 tablets with a total of 6,000 milligrams (mg) of iron. The package is not child-resistant as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. The CPSC enforces the requirement that any over-the-counter medication or dietary supplement which contains more than 250 mg of iron in a single package must be supplied with child- resistant packaging. Chase Laboratories reported the packaging problem and their initiation of the recall to CPSC under the reporting requirements of Section 15(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. {2064(b). Consumers should immediately return the product to the store where purchased for a refund of the purchase price. Since the product's introduction in 1990, approximately 70,000 bottles of Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid packaged under the Geneva Generics Label were distributed in non-child-resistant packaging through 342 retail and wholesale druggists nationwide. Chase Laboratories, the manufacturer, and Geneva Generics, the private label distributor, instituted the recall of this product because of the potential hazard to children from these tablets due to the lack of child- resistant packaging. Neither of the recalling firms nor the Commission is aware of any poisoning incidents due to this product. Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers report that 11 children in the United States died in 1991 from ingestion of iron-containing medicines and dietary supplements. CPSC is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
Hazard
Lack of child-resistant closure means that a child could accidentally swallow these vitamins with iron. Just four or five tablets if consumed by a child at one time can cause serious illness or death.
Incidents & Injuries
Neither of the recalling firms nor the Commission is aware of any poisoning incidents due to this product.
Remedy Instructions
Immediately return the "Prenatal Vitamins with Folic Acid" (100-tablet bottles) to the store where purchased for a refund of the purchase price.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.