NCL statement on passage of Food Safety Modernization Act – National Consumers League

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November 30, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The following statement may be attributed to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League:

“The National Consumers League, America’s oldest consumer organization, applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, S. 510.  This long-overdue legislation overhauls woefully outdated food safety laws, strengthening the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to help prevent foodborne illness and death in the United States.  Among other measures, the bill gives the agency the authority to recall contaminated products; increases oversight of imported foods, holding them to the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S.; develops new requirements for traceability; and establishes a minimum inspection frequency for domestic food processing facilities.”  

“NCL urges members of Congress to continue to work together and send this bipartisan bill to the President’s desk before the end of 2010.  Americans deserve to ring in the New Year with the promise of a safety food supply.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL asking CPSC to act on 7 year petition to prevent finger amputations with safer saws – National Consumers League

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November 24, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC — In a letter to the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sent this week, the National Consumers League is asking the CPSC to finally act on a seven-year-old petition to prevent finger amputations from table saw accidents. The League’s letter to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum points out that safety technology is available – and has been available for nearly a decade – to prevent finger injuries and should be required throughout the industry.

Sally Greenberg, the League’s Executive Director, says in her letter, “We could have prevented the 10 finger amputations that occur each day from table saw injuries had the Commission acted years ago. The fact that we still allow table saws to amputate fingers – especially in teens who may be using these saws in shop class – is unconscionable. The facts cry out for CPSC attention.”

In 2003, SawStop, makers of table saws that employ technology that prevents the saw blade from cutting off fingers, filed a petition to the CPSC asking that the Commission set a safety performance standard for all table saws.

NCL’s letter notes: “According to CPSC’s own data, a table saw injury occurs once every nine minutes. The average per-accident business cost is estimated to be $67,000. 30,000 people suffer injuries from table saws each year, and over 3,000 suffer amputations. The technology exists – and indeed is being used today by one manufacturer – to prevent the needless and brutal accidents associated with the hazards of using table saws.”

The safety technology involves a detection system such that when the table saw blade senses an electrical signal given off by human tissue – like a finger – the safety system is activated and the blade stops. Clearly the technology is effective, as demonstrated by testimonials from shop teachers, hobbyists, and others who operate table saws.

The League’s letter also notes that the Commission doesn’t have to adopt the exact SawStop technology, but should instead create an industry standard that employs safety technology to prevent accidents. The letter urges the Commission to give the industry a specific time period in which to adopt current technology or develop new technology to prevent these grave injuries and amputations from table saws. The benefits of a performance standard include allowing for innovation and creativity in the design of a table saw with these safety components built in.

“Table saw safety – and the ability of CPSC to take action to protect users of table saws – seems to us to be a classic example of how the Commission’s role was envisioned by Congress when the CPSC was established in 1972. While table saws do have certain inherent hazards, that is not an excuse for failing to enact safety regulations for these products.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL, FDA launch campaign to help consumers avoid food-drug interactions – National Consumers League

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November 10, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have teamed up to alert consumers to the possibility that the medications they are taking could interact with foods, caffeine, and alcohol.  With millions of Americans taking prescription or over-the-counter medications each day, the issue of interactions between medications and certain foods is of growing importance.

“Avoid Food-Drug Interactions” (view sample pages here) is an updated version of NCL’s very popular “Food and Drug Interactions” brochure. The renamed brochure contains new information, has been published in plain language, and is re-formatted as a guide for consumers to learn more about and avoid interactions.

”Despite how widespread our use of prescription medications has come, many Americans likely don’t give a second thought to whether the foods they regularly eat and drink might make certain drugs less effective, or even pose the risk of dangerous interactions,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “Our new NCL/FDA brochure is a useful tool that anyone who takes medications should have access to.”

“To take medicine safely, it’s important to follow directions about what you eat and drink,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Make sure you read the drug’s label every time to avoid harmful food and drug interactions, and to get the most benefit from your medicine.”

The “Avoid Food-Drug Interactions” brochure includes dozens of common medications and examples of interactions with certain foods, alcohol, and caffeine. This updated brochure contains information on new medications including allergy treatments, pain therapy, and cholesterol-lowering therapy.

“Even within the same drug categories there are important differences. For example, some drugs may be less likely to cause interactions because they are metabolized differently than other drugs in the same category,” said Rebecca Burkholder, NCL Vice President for Health Policy. “Our brochure is a great resource to learn about your risk of possible interactions, but consumers must also talk to their doctors or pharmacists to ensure they take their medications safely.”

Other examples in the brochure include which antibiotics should be taken with food to avoid stomach upset and information on foods, like fruit juices and milk, that may cause reactions with some medications.

If you would like a copy of the brochure, please send $2 for postage and handling to the National Consumers League, 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006.

Bulk order pricing is available as well. For more information, contact NCL’s Publications Manager Theresa Smith at (202) 835-3323.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL thanks Western Union for underwriting LifeSmarts study aid – National Consumers League

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November 1, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – With the 2010-2011 National LifeSmarts Competition well underway in high school classrooms across the country, the National Consumers League has announced a new study aid for coaches and students prepping for nationals: the Question-of-the-Day Calendar. Covering a range of subjects from health and safety to personal finance and the environment, the LifeSmarts Question-of-the-Day Calendars are underwritten by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The November calendar, featuring practice questions with an emphasis on consumer rights and responsibilities, was sponsored by Western Union.

Each month, the official LifeSmarts Web site (www.lifesmarts.org) features a calendar containing dozens of retired competition questions for use as a study aid. The LifeSmarts daily calendars provide one challenge question related to the monthly topic area for each school day.

“Teachers and coaches may use the calendar questions to spur class discussion by asking one question per day, developing a mini-quiz given weekly, or running a simulated LifeSmarts competition,” said LifeSmarts Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “We are grateful for Western Union’s support in making this resource available to students and coaches who are spending this fall prepping to compete in the online and state competitions for a shot at the 2011 National LifeSmarts Championship event in Los Angeles in April.”

LifeSmarts–the ultimate consumer challenge–is an educational opportunity that develops the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of teenagers in a fun way and rewards them for the knowledge they demonstrate. The program complements the curriculum already in place in high schools and can be used as an activity for classes, groups, clubs, and community organizations. LifeSmarts, run as a game-show style competition, is open to all teens in the U.S. in high school and middle school.

LifeSmarts topics have been chosen to encourage and reward knowledge in the areas that matter most to consumers and workers in today’s marketplace: personal finance; health and safety; the environment; technology; and consumer rights and responsibilities.

In LifeSmarts, teams of four to five teens, coached by an adult participant, compete in district and state matches with the state winners going to the national competition to vie for the national LifeSmarts title. The National Consumers League will host the 17th annual LifeSmarts National Competition in Los Angeles, California from April 30 – May 3, 2011.

The National Consumers League appreciates the financial support that makes LifeSmarts possible, which allows us to provide this program at no charge to teens and adult coaches. Our sponsors — community-minded businesses, associations, labor unions, government agencies, other organizations and individuals — understand the benefits of providing meaningful consumer education for young adults.

Western Union has been a major LifeSmarts sponsor in recent years. In 2009 Western Union provided an unrestricted education grant to NCL to develop three LifeSmarts U lessons focusing on fraud awareness and prevention. LifeSmarts U provides interactive online learning for individual students and classrooms across the United States.

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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org , or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.

NCL thanks NACDS Foundation for $1 million contribution to campaign urging correct medication use – National Consumers League

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October 27, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced a contribution in the amount of $1 million to the National Consumers League’s (NCL) national campaign to raise consumers’ awareness of the public health benefits of taking medications as prescribed, which is known within healthcare as “medication adherence.”

NCL’s groundbreaking medication adherence awareness campaign includes more than 100 stakeholders from public and private sector advocacy organizations, government agencies, and corporations.  It will officially launch in spring of 2011. The NACDS Foundation has been an active participant in campaign planning, which began in 2008 and will continue through this winter.

Medication adherence is a critical issue for improving patient health and reducing healthcare costs. Nearly three out of four Americans fail to take their medications as prescribed, and almost half of Americans suffer with one or more chronic diseases that require medication therapy. Failure to take medication as prescribed is estimated to cost $290 billion annually in increased hospitalizations, doctor and emergency room visits, and factors related to preventable disease progression, according to a July 2009 report by the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI).

With initial planning funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Consumers League is leading the national multi-media effort targeting people with chronic conditions and health care practitioners, with additional intensive outreach in a handful of markets across the country, to alert consumers to the reality of the health and financial costs of not taking medications correctly.

“Poor medication adherence is costing individuals their good health and our nation billions. NACDS Foundation’s generous contribution will help us take the campaign to the next level and make a real difference in consumers’ lives,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “NCL’s long history of successful initiatives helping consumers take medications safely, as well as our proven ability to identify areas of common concern among disparate groups, uniquely qualifies us to lead this campaign.”

“Helping to raise public awareness about the importance of taking prescriptions as prescribed by their doctors is one of our top priorities at the NACDS Foundation, and we are proud to be a major supporter of the campaign,” said Edith A. Rosato, RPh, IOM, President of the NACDS Foundation. “It is vital to public health to chip away at the hurdles preventing consumers from taking medication as prescribed and improving their health and lowering overall healthcare costs. The Foundation looks forward to actively engaging in the campaign and helping to ensure its success.”

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.nclnet.org.

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About National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that serves as the education, research and charitable affiliate of NACDS.  The NACDS Foundation seeks to improve the health and wellness of the people in America.  It utilizes education, research, and charitable involvement to help people improve their health and quality of life through an understanding of medication therapy and the importance of taking medications appropriately.  For more information, please visit www.NACDSFoundation.org.

About National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

‘Compensation Czar’, Surgeon General to be honored with NCL Trumpeter Award – National Consumers League

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October 7, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, D.C.—The National Consumers League will honor ‘Compensation Czar’ Kenneth Feinberg, the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation and administrator of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster Victim Compensation Unit and United States Surgeon General Vice Admiral Regina Benjamin, M.D. with its highest honor, the Trumpeter Award, today in Washington DC. The event will bring together a diverse group of representatives of the labor unions, advocates, legislators, organizations, and industries touched by the two advocates’ esteemed careers.

“The Trumpeter Award is NCL’s highest honor, given to leaders who are not afraid to speak out for social justice and for the rights of consumers. No one fits that description better than Kenneth Feinberg and Dr. Regina Benjamin,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Their dedication to improving the quality of life for workers and consumers in the United States has earned them this year’s Trumpeter Award.”

NCL will also be honoring Jean Ann Fox, Director of Financial Services at Consumer Federation of America, with the Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award, named for NCL’s early leader and awarded to grassroots consumer advocates.

The event will feature a reception, dinner, and speaking appearances by the two honorees, as well as:

The Honorable Chuck Hagel, Distinguished Professor, Georgetown University; Co-Chair, President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and Chairman of The Altantic Council

Dr. Winston Price, President, National African American Drug Policy Coalition

Teresa Schwartz, Professor at George Washington University Law School and Chair of the Consumers Union Board of Directors

Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director

Jane King, NCL Board of Directors, Chair

Pastor Herrera, Jr., NCL Board of Directors, Vice Chair

What: National Consumers League’s 2010 Trumpeter Awards Dinner

When: Thursday, October 7, 2010 | 6 p.m. Reception | 7 p.m. Dinner and Presentation of Awards

Where: Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, DC

Questions or to RSVP: Larry Bostian, National Consumers League 202-835-3323

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL to Congress: get tough on gold ‘investments’ with H.R. 6149 – National Consumers League

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September 23, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest nonprofit consumer organization, has offered its support for H.R. 6149, the “Coin and Precious Metal Disclosure Act,” which the consumer watchdog says would do much to give consumers an accurate picture of the risks associated with buying gold and precious coins. Consumers may consider gold and precious coins to be an effective investment hedge against inflation.  However, recent investigations by federal, state and local enforcement agencies suggest that some gold dealers may be leveraging recessionary fears to steer consumers into buying gold and precious coins at inflated prices.

In a letter to Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg conveyed the nonprofit organization’s concerns about the proliferation of gold coins being marketed to consumers as investments, particularly in the midst of a difficult economy.  The subcommittee is holding a hearing today to discuss the proposed legislation and potentially deceptive practices in the gold and precious coins marketplace.

“Purchasing gold may be a useful way for consumers to diversify their investment portfolios. However, we are disturbed by reports of gold dealers pressuring customers to purchase collectible coins at prices inflated far beyond market value,” wrote Greenberg. “Further, it concerns us that salespeople working for a prominent gold dealer were found by the Securities Division of the Secretary of State of Missouri to be offering financial advice to consumers without being licensed as investment advisors.”

H.R. 6149 will address these concerns by requiring disclosure of relevant fees and the purchase price, melt value, and resale value of coins and metal bullion. NCL believes that these disclosures will help consumers more effectively evaluate gold investment opportunities and applauds Congressman Weiner for introducing this bill and convening a hearing on the matter.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

As Congress addresses egg recall, groups call on industry to phase out cages – National Consumers League

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September 22, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington,DC — Hours before a Congressional hearing on the largest egg recall in U.S. history, the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer organization, and The Humane Society of the United States, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, joined forces to call on the egg industry to phase out the cage confinement of laying hens in order to reduce food safety risks and animal cruelty. The half-billion egg recall is the latest in a series of reminders that how we treat animals can have significant food safety and public health implications.

“It is the very system of cramming birds into cages – in warehouses on operations that may confine more than a million animals – that exacerbates the spread of infectious diseases like Salmonella,” said HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. “The industry must phase out these hazardous and merciless cages.”

Even before the recall, the FDA estimated that 142,000 Americans are sickened by Salmonella-tainted eggs every year. The elderly, infants, pregnant women, and those with impaired immune are especially vulnerable to developing severe—even life-threatening—complications.

The egg industry has unfairly placed the blame on consumers, but given the potential for cross-contamination and the fact that many common egg cooking methods are insufficient to eliminate the threat, it is incumbent on industry to reduce Salmonella risk on the farm. An abundance of evidence suggests this can be accomplished by phasing out cage confinement, which carries greater risks due to the enormous flock sizes, the propensity for rodent and fly infestations, and an inability to adequately disinfect the cage equipment between flocks.

“Consumers don’t want to buy products from companies that abuse their workers, mistreat their animals, or pollute the environment, and they certainly don’t want to buy food that contains pathogens that could make them or their families sick.” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “The link between caging of birds and increased Salmonella makes this animal protection issue a food safety one as well. This large-scale egg recall comes from a company that appears to routinely violate the rights of workers, engage in cruel treatment of animals, and dispose improperly of waste; it’s no surprise to us that this same company would produce goods that are harmful to consumers.”

Numerous public opinion polls show that most Americans oppose this extreme confinement. California and Michigan have passed laws phasing out cages, and California is phasing out sale of cage eggs. Many major retailers, including Burger King, Subway, Quiznos, IHOP and Denny’s, are already using cage-free eggs.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

About The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization—backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—on the web at humanesociety.org.

Statement on appointment of Elizabeth Warren as CFPB interim director – National Consumers League

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September 18, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League applauds President Obama’s appointment of Elizabeth Warren as interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The concept behind the CFPB was Warren’s. She is an outstanding consumer advocate who long ago recognized that consumers were being unfairly saddled with staggering fines and fees due to fine print in legal documents that few could understand. NCL supports Warren’s vow to do away with the “tricks and traps” in consumer contracts, to simplify these contracts, and to provide far greater transparency and protections for consumers.

American consumers are fortunate, indeed, to have someone of Elizabeth Warren’s stature, integrity, commitment and diplomatic skills at the helm of the CFPB. The National Consumers League is proud to join in support for this fine appointment from the Obama Administration.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts program launches new year of competition, curriculum – National Consumers League

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September 13, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The 2010-2011 LifeSmarts season is officially underway this week, with a new competition year going live at the program’s online home, www.lifesmarts.org, along with a variety of new resources for adult and youth participants. LifeSmarts is an educational competition run by the National Consumers League that tests middle school and high school students nationwide on real-life consumer issues through online quizzes and live contests. It culminates in the annual national LifeSmarts championship, where winning teams and individuals are awarded academic scholarships and prizes.

“We’re thrilled to be launching the 17th year of LifeSmarts,” said Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “LifeSmarts delivers real-world knowledge to students and allows them to shine in competitions where they demonstrate all that they have learned,” said Hertzberg. “It also provides thousands of teachers across the country access to much-needed consumer curriculum, which they unfortunately often aren’t getting elsewhere.”

Over the years, LifeSmarts has steadily grown in numbers of student and adult participants, state partnerships, and corporate sponsorships. In the most recent season, an estimated 100,000 students and teachers across the country answered more than 3.5 million LifeSmarts questions.

“As the consumer marketplace has become more challenging to navigate, LifeSmarts content is keeping up, preparing our teens and tweens to become the next generation of smart consumers and workers,” Hertzberg said.

LifeSmarts provides participants with practical advice and information on consumer issues ranging from personal finance and health and safety to the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. Starting online each fall, the competition progresses to live state play-offs, and then builds to a high-spirited National Championship, which will be held in 2011 in Los Angeles, California. At last year’s national competition held in Miami Beach, Florida, students on the state champion team from Frederick, Maryland were crowned the 2010 national champs.

NCL partners with coordinators in more than 30 states, including Better Business Bureaus, credit unions, state attorneys general and consumer protection agencies, State FCCLA organizations, Jump$tart Coalitions, and others, to staff and promote the program. Interested students and adults can visit the LifeSmarts Web site to connect with the program in their state.

“The National Consumers League’s mission is to inspire confidence and safety in the marketplace,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “The LifeSmarts program, our consumer education initiative for youth, fosters students’ understanding of consumer issues and provides them with real-world knowledge they will need to take charge of their lives.”

New this fall at www.lifesmarts.org are dozens of up-to-the-minute teaching resources for coaches, including innovative lessons housed within the new LifeSmarts U, curriculum divided into a campus of major topic areas. Major LifeSmarts contributors include Experian, Western Union, American Express, American Century Investments Foundation, Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Toyota Financial Services, TracFone Wireless, Inc., and others. To see a full list of current LifeSmarts contributors, visit www.lifesmarts.org.

To test your LifeSmarts, take a sample quiz at https://start.lifesmarts.org/. From there, click on “Daily Quiz” to get started.

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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org , or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.