Consumer group to testify in support of Bloomberg’s soda restrictions – National Consumers League

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July 24, 2012

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

New York, NY–Today, Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, will testify (read remarks here) at a hearing held by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to discuss Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to limit the sale of large sugary beverages in the city.

“NCL strongly supports Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to limit the portion size of sugary drinks,” said Greenberg. “In a nation where two-thirds of American adults and one-third American children are either overweight or obese, it is high time for leaders to enact measures to help combat the growing epidemic.“

In a move that acknowledges that sugary beverages are the single largest source of calories in the American diet, Mayor Bloomberg has proposed limits on the sale of sugary beverages over 16 ounces. “In the past, sugary beverages were consumed in relatively small portions and only as a special treat,” noted Greenberg. Today, portions may be as large as 64 ounces, a serving size that contains the equivalent of more than 50 teaspoons of sugar. 

NCL applauds the Mayor’s “bold effort to place modest limits on the consumption of sugary drinks.” Greenberg’s complete remarks are available here.

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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 comments to FDA on the overuse of antibiotics in livestock – National Consumers League

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July 12, 2012

Comments of the National Consumers League to the Food and Drug Administration
Comment on Draft Guidance for Industry #213: Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0889-0001

Introduction 

The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, is pleased to have this opportunity to comment on draft Guidance for Industry (GFI) #213 (Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0889-0001). NCL is concerned that the voluntary framework established by GFI # 213 does not adequately address the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance, particularly resistance caused by the over-application in livestock. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has an important leadership role to play in halting the continued development of antibiotic resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem. For decades, scientists have warned that the overuse of antibiotics will lead bacteria to develop resistance to these life saving drugs.[1] Inappropriate use of antimicrobials selects for the strongest strains of bacteria. The reality is that the continued development of resistance could leave us with an arsenal of once powerful drugs which are no longer effective. Resistant bacteria are a challenge to medical professionals, who are sometimes forced to substitute drugs which can be less effective or have more serious side effects.

Approximately 80% of the antibiotics used in the United States are administered to food producing animals. Antibiotics are administered to livestock for three main purposes.[2] In the first instance, antimicrobials are given to a sick animal to treat a specific, present disease. Secondly, antibiotics are administered in food and water to whole herds and flocks of animals to prevent the occurrence of diseases, diseases that are increasingly likely to occur due to the crowded conditions common to much of modern agricultural production. Finally, antibiotics have been used since the 1940s to promote faster growth in livestock.[3]

While the first use of antimicrobial drugs is widely accepted and supported by both the agricultural community and public health professionals, the second two uses are more controversial. When antibiotics are used for disease prevention and growth promotion, they are often administered for longer periods of time and at lower doses, two conditions which are known to help promote resistance.[4]

Background on GFI #209 and #213

GFI #209, “The Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals,” states that “it is imperative that strategies for controlling antimicrobial resistance include a consideration of how microbial drugs are being used and measures to address those uses that are injudicious in nature.” GFI #209 proposes two guiding principles: that the use of antibiotics in animals should be limited to medically necessary circumstances and that use of medically important antibiotics should take place under the guidance of a veterinary professional.

The first principle articulated in GFI #209 is that “the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals should be limited to those uses that are considered necessary for assuring animal health.”[5] Under this principle, FDA addresses the question of whether prevention uses of antibiotics are necessary, saying “FDA believes that some indications for prevention use are necessary and judicious as long as such uses include professional veterinary involvement.”

The second principle enumerated in GFI #209 is that “the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals should be limited to those uses that include veterinary oversight or consultation.”[6] This guidance introduces a new paradigm that includes closer consultation with veterinary professionals.

GFI #213 provides the steps to achieve the implementation of GFI #209. GFI #213 reiterates that disease prevention uses of drugs are considered judicious if a veterinarian “determines that the use of antimicrobials is necessary to prevent the onset of diseases that are likely to occur.”[7] The guidance emphasizes that FDA intends to work with the sponsors of impacted antibiotics, as well as the “end users of these products,” the veterinarians and animal producers, to voluntarily change the indications on animal drugs.[8] This voluntary system, combined with increased oversight on the part of veterinarians, would result in the end of growth promotion uses of antimicrobials.

GFI #213 also lays out a timeline for implementation that it hopes will “minimize the impacts and provide for an orderly transition.”[9] According to the draft guidance, a three year phase is proposed, during which time sponsors would adjust the labels on their products to eliminate growth promotion and provide for increased veterinary oversight.

Concerns with the Proposed Paradigm

NCL has several concerns with the draft GFI as it is written. First, NCL is troubled by the voluntary system which GFI #213 lays out for the reduction of production uses of antibiotics. We do not believe that voluntary systems provide regulatory incentives necessary to spur change in the industry. It is appropriate and necessary for FDA to step in and issue mandatory measures that would ensure antibiotics are no longer used for growth promotion.

Secondly, NCL is concerned that that this voluntary system of reduction, proposed by FDA, still allows for the use of antibiotics for disease prevention. The use of antimicrobials throughout a herd or flock to prevent disease is an important contributor to the development of antibiotic resistant pathogens. We are concerned that FDA, in its draft guidance, considers the use of antimicrobials for disease prevention as judicious use. Many preventive uses have no limit on duration and are given to all the animals on the farm. This is inconsistent with FDA’s guidance in both GFI #213 and the previously released GFI # 152.

Third, NCL is concerned that GFI #213 creates a method for determining the safety of antimicrobials that is weaker than the previous set of criteria established in GFI #152. We are concerned that these new guidelines will be used in lieu of the original guidance and will result in decreased levels of oversight. Furthermore, we are worried that the method proposed by GFI #213 does not include recommendations against using medically important antibiotics on all animals in a flock or herd. Additionally, there is no clear limitation on the duration of use, another important factor in the development of resistance.

Fourth, NCL is concerned that a voluntary approach which allows for the continued use of antibiotics for disease prevention will allow drug companies to circumvent the spirit of the guidance, which is intended to reduce the use of antibiotics. Specifically, we are concerned that while the proposed paradigm will lead drug companies to remove label indications for growth promotion, it may also incentivize drug companies to simply expand the parameters of disease prevention use.

Finally, NCL questions the very foundation of the draft guidance; that is, we question whether a system that is voluntary can be effective at reducing the use of antibiotics for growth promotion. NCL is troubled by the ability of drug sponsors to choose whether to participate and feel that a voluntary system may not provide the incentives necessary to ensure compliance.

Recent Court Decisions

Two recent decisions have been handed down by U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz, of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. The first was a summary judgment issued on March 22, 2012. In 1977, in response to growing concern about the development of antimicrobial resistance, FDA announced its intent to withdraw the approval for subtherapeutic uses of penicillin and two types of tetracycline. After making this announcement, FDA failed to move forward with the appropriate hearings and did not remove approval for the drugs. In his ruling, Judge Katz stated that the FDA “must re-issue a notice of the proposed withdrawals (which may be updated) and provide an opportunity for a hearing. . .If, at a hearing, the drug sponsors fail to show that use of the drugs is safe, the Commissioner must issue a withdrawal order.”[10]

In another decision, issued on June 1, 2012, Judge Katz declared that an FDA decision to deny two citizens petitions to end subtherapeutic use of antibiotics was “arbitrary and capricious.” He goes on to note that had FDA “addressed the Petitions in a timely fashion,” looking at them when they were initially filed, “withdrawal proceedings could have been commenced and completed by now.” Judge Katz concluded that “the adoption of voluntary measures does not excuse the Agency from its duty to review the Citizen Petitions on their merits.”[11]

NCL is encouraged by these decisions, which reinforce the fact that FDA has long considered antimicrobial resistance a serious issue and must take action to put a halt to subtherapeutic uses. NCL urges the agency not to appeal these cases and to move forward with repealing the approval for penicillin and tetracyclines as ordered by Judge Katz. It is the agency’s duty to comply with the law’s mandate to protect public health from risky uses of antibiotics, such as growth promotion and prevention uses.

Recommendations 

Given our concerns with the proposed system, which would focus on voluntary reductions in the use of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes, NCL has several recommendations.

  1. Because disease prevention uses of antibiotics create the same selective pressures as growth promotion, FDA should move forward with withdrawing approvals for the use of antimicrobials for prevention of diseases. This is necessary as drug companies are unlikely to make this move on their own.
  1. The new system that FDA has proposed relies on a voluntary scheme for eliminating the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion. Because some companies may choose not to participate, a voluntary system is not sufficient for reducing the use of antibiotics. We encourage FDA to use its regulatory authority to create a mandatory reduction plan that will ensure compliance and increased public health.
  1. The FDA should choose a measure of success that is meaningful to public health. Because of our concerns that drug sponsors may add indications to their drugs for prevention uses, merely looking at whether sponsors do away with growth promotion uses of antimicrobials is an insufficient measure of whether the program is succeeding. A more appropriate measure of success would be to look at whether or not the amount of antibiotics used has decreased.
  1. Transparency in the implementation of this new process is essential. FDA has proposed a three year implementation period. FDA should publish detailed quarterly reports on proposed and finalized voluntary changes. These reports should facilitate the independent verification of progress made towards implementation as well as an assessment of the public health implications of these changes.

Conclusion

While NCL applauds FDA for recognizing that there is an urgent need to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals, we have concerns about the new framework of reduction which the agency has proposed. NCL is pleased that the agency has decided to recommend the increased involvement of veterinarians in the application of antimicrobials. However, we are concerned that a voluntary approach to reduction of antimicrobial use will not provide strong enough incentives to ensure industry compliance.

FDA has recently been instructed in two court cases to continue forward with action to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. NCL urges the agency not to appeal these court decisions and to use them as the basis for future reduction of antibiotics in livestock.

NCL appreciates having this opportunity to comment on FDA’s draft Guidance for Industry #213 and encourages the agency to reconsider its framework for ensuring that drugs critically important to human medicine are preserved.

[1] https://www.tufts.edu/med/apua/about_issue/antibiotic_res.shtml

[2] Nugent, Rachel, Emma Back, and Alexandra Beith. The Race Against Drug Resistance. Center for Global Development, 2010. https://www.cgdev.org/files/1424207_file_CGD_DRWG_FINAL.pdf.

[3] Frank Aarestrup. “Get Pigs Off Antibiotics.” Nature 486 (2012): 564-466.

[4] Gould, I.M., and F.M. MacKenzie. “Antibiotic Exposure as a Risk Factor for Emergences of Resistance: The Influence of Concentration.” Journal of Applied Microbiology 92.S1 (2002): 78S-84S. Web. 6 July 2012. <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2672.92.5s1.10.x/pdf>.

[5] United States of America. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Guidance for Industry # 209, The Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals, 21.

[6] Guidance for Industry #209, 22.

[7] [7] United States of America. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Draft Guidance for Industry #213, New Animal Drugs and New Animal Drug Combination Products Administered in or on Medicated Feed or Drinking Water of Food-Producing Animals: Recommendations for Drug Sponsors for Voluntarily Aligning Product Use Conditions with GFI #209, 3. 

[8] Draft Guidance for Industry #213, 4.

[9] Draft Guidance for Industry #213, 7.

[10] Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. Et Al. (NRDC) v United States Food and Drug Administration, Et Al. U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. 22 Mar. 2012.

[11] https://www.nylj.com/nylawyer/adgifs/decisions/060612katz.pdf

Survey: Majority of ‘tweeners’ now have cell phones, with many parents concerned about cost – National Consumers League

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July 10, 2012

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

View NCL’s new July 2012 survey conducted by ORC International (PDF)

Listen to audio from today’s tele news event here.

Washington, DC – Cell phones are not just for teenaged children any more. Nearly six out of 10 (56 percent) parents of “tweeners” (children aged 8-12) have provided their children with cell phones, according to a new survey conducted by ORC International for the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer organization. Of those parents, roughly a quarter are facing higher bills than they had expected to pay in order for their child to have a cell phone.

The survey is part of NCL’s continuing commitment to providing advice to parents of pre-teens who are considering buying their children’s first cell phones.

Highlights of the NCL tweeners and cell phones survey include the following:

  • Nearly six out of 10 parents with tweeners surveyed (56 percent) have purchased cell phones for their young children, ranging from a high of 62 percent in households earning over $100,000 a year to a low of 41 percent in households under $50,000 a year.
  • Parents in a third of households earning under $50,000 are paying more for their tweener’s cell phone than they had expected. Overall, about a quarter of households (23 percent) report they pay more than they had anticipated would be the case.
  • The 10-11 age range appears to be the “sweet spot” for pre-teens to receive a cell phone. Six out of 10 pre-teens were aged 10-11 when they received their phone. Twenty percent of 8-9 year olds and 15 percent of 12-year olds received a cell phone.
  • Parents who are paying more than they thought they would for their tweener’s cell phone would: investigate parental controls offered by wireless carrier to control costs (62 percent); set a monthly budget with child (38 percent); cancel phone (23 percent); and switch to prepaid or postpaid unlimited plans (22 percent).

“Before the training wheels are coming off their bikes, many children are getting their first cell phones,” said John Breyault, NCL vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud. “Our survey underscores the fact that pre-teens are the new ‘growth market’ for the wireless industry. Given the increasingly young age at which kids get these devices, the multiplicity of choices in the cell phone market can be daunting for parents. That’s why it is imperative that parents have the information necessary to make informed buying decisions when it comes to their pre-teens’ first wireless devices.”

Graham Hueber, senior researcher, ORC International, said: “This survey clearly shows that the use of cell phones is now becoming more entrenched at an earlier and earlier age in the U.S. However, even a substantial portion of parents who are comfortable with putting a smartphone in the hands of an eight year old have qualms about the resulting costs and are open to considering options to lower their child’s phone bill. This is likely going to mean that more and more parents will look for ways to pull the purse strings a little tighter, such as setting a budget or exploring prepaid cell phone options.”

Other key survey highlights

  • Tweeners aged 11-12 are more than twice as likely as those aged 8-10 to have a cell phone purchased by their parents, by a margin of 69 percent to 32 percent.
  • The top three reasons parents buy cell phones for tweeners are safety (84 percent); tracking child’s after-school activities (73 percent); and child asked for one (16 percent.)
  • Only 4 percent of tweeners with cell phones got a basic phone with no Web or texting access. About half (48 percent) are provided with a basic cell phone with texting, another 20 percent get a basic non-smartphone with texting and Web access, and 27 percent get a smartphone.
  • 82 percent of parents said that the price of the cell phone service was an important part of their decision. About nine in 10 parents (92 percent) say they have tweener cell phone costs of less than $75 per month.
  • 81 percent of parents of tweeners put their child on a contract-based cell phone plan and 15 percent opted for a prepaid cell phone service. More than four out of five parents (84 percent) added their child to an existing family plan.
  • Most important issues for parents selecting a cell phone for a tweener: total price of service (41 percent); quality of network (34 percent); cost of texting service (29 percent); and price of handset (29 percent).
  • More than half of parents (52 percent) who think they are paying too much for their tweener’s cell phone would consider switching to unlimited cell phone service as a way to cut costs. Six in 10 parents of tweeners in households earning less than $50,000 are not “aware of lower cost, unlimited, prepaid phone plans that would allow your child to make unlimited calling and texting.”

The survey also contained a number of good news findings:

  • Only 16 percent of parents reported friction or disagreements with their child over cell phone use.
  • Tweener cell phone abuse appears isolated. Fewer than one in 10 parents (8 percent each) reported “use of cell phone intrudes on family time” and “distracts your child from school work.” Only 3 percent reported such inappropriate use of a cell phone as “sexting” or cyberbullying by tweeners.
  • Some parents are doing their research. Before purchasing a cell phone for their tweener, 48 percent of parents talked to other parents about their experiences, 33 percent checked handsets/service plans online, and 29 percent did same at one or more retail outlets.
  • 89 percent of 10 parents of tweeners who bought cell phones for their child have no regrets.

Full survey findings are available here.

Tips from NCL

Before beginning the shopping for a tween’s cell phone, parents should ask themselves some basic questions in order to set expectations:

  • Why does your child need a cell phone?
  • Will the phone be used primarily to stay in touch with parents and for emergency use? Or will your child be using the phone for entertainment or to communicate with friends?
  • How much do you want to spend per month on service?
  • How much do you want to spend on the initial purchase of the cell phone itself?
  • Is your tween mature enough to keep their minutes, texting, and data use within plan limits?
  • Is your tween mature enough to use the phone responsibly and avoid viewing or sending inappropriate content?
  • What is your tween’s school’s policy on cell phones in school?
  • Does your tween have a habit of losing things or can he or she handle the responsibility of caring for a phone?

Methodology

The ORC International survey for National Consumers League presents the findings of a telephone poll conducted among a sample of 802 adults who are the parent of a child between the ages of 8 and 12.  The national survey was conducted during the period of June 15-20, 2012. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 3 percentage points at the full sample level.

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 gratefully acknowledges underwriting from TracFone Wireless, Inc., whose unrestricted educational grant made this survey possible.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Ailis Aaron Wolf, for NCL, (703) 276-3265 or aawolf@hastingsgroup.com; and Carol McKay, NCL, (412) 945-3242 or carolm@nclnet.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A streaming audio replay of the related news event will be available on the Web at https://nclnet.org as of 5 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2012.

Consumer group hails vote on California table saw safety bill – National Consumers League

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July 6, 2012

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

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL) is celebrating the July 3 passage of the Table Saw Safety Act in the California Senate Judiciary Committee, receiving the three votes needed to move it from the Committee to the full State Senate. The California State Assembly had already passed the bill by a vote of 64-4.

NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg, who traveled to Sacramento to speak in support of the bill, commended its author, Senator Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara), and the three members of the Judiciary Committee for their support. Greenberg testified that “based on national data, California consumers suffer 6,700 injuries each year from table saws and about one amputation each day. And the grave hazards posed by a 100mph-spinning table saw blade can be completely eliminated by technology either currently available or in development. We urge the Committee to act on this critical consumer safety measure.”

The California bill requires that, after January 1, 2015, any new table saw sold in the state of California must be designed with an “active injury mitigation system.” Such technology must be able to prevent or detect contact with, or dangerous proximity between, a hand or finger and the teeth of a spinning table saw blade, and act to prevent severe injury to the hand or the finger. Similar technology is already available on table saws in the market and they have proven successful at virtually eliminating the horrific lacerations and amputations that occur on table saws without the technology. The legislation is supported by consumer organizations, labor unions, and medical associations. It is opposed by table saw manufacturers and associated industry groups.

Daniel Curtin, Director of the California Conference of Carpenters, endorsed the legislation. He said, “The carpenters proudly support AB 2218 (Williams) because safety devices on table saws protect our members from severe injuries and possible loss of their livelihood.”

“The technology required by AB 2218 would help ensure that construction workers using dangerous table saws would have one more way to remain safe on the job,” said Cesar Diaz, Legislative & Political Director, State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO.

The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission is also working on a proposed rule for a mandatory safety standard on table saws, but the time it will take for completion of a federal safety standard is unknown.

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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 Applauds Supreme Court decision on individual mandate in health care law – National Consumers League

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June 28, 2012

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

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer group, announced today that it is pleased at the Supreme Court’s action to uphold the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a move that will extend health care coverage to more than 30 million Americans who currently lack it. NCL stands with other consumer, health, and worker groups, in support of the ACA. For decades, NCL has advocated for substantive reform to America’s health care system and was a staunch supporter of the Affordable Care Act when it passed in 2010.

“The Supreme Court’s landmark decision upholding The Affordable Care Act is a giant step toward the goal of providing health insurance for all Americans,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.  “We applaud the Court’s decision and look forward to broad implementation of the law. This decision brings the United States into league with the ever-growing number of nations – rich and poor – that have found it to be economically prudent to provide health care to their citizens. NCL hails this historic decision as a great victory for consumers, one that signifies a move toward a more patient-centered and cost effective health care system. We stand by the law, and the protections and coverage it has already afforded millions of Americans.”

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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.

Consumer organization to air concerns before Aviation Consumer Protection Board – National Consumers League

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June 28, 2012 

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

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League is testifying today before the newly formed federal Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection, calling on the Committee to address consumer concerns and provide basic consumer protections to the flying public. “We welcome the formation of this critical Advisory Committee to hear concerns from consumer and business groups and the flying public,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL’s Executive Director. “We look forward to sharing the experiences and frustrations of so many passengers who deal with the airlines,” said Greenberg. She is giving testimony today at the Department of Transportation (DOT).

NCL will be discussing a range of issues, from consumer privacy, the explosion of fees for luggage, seats, food, pillows, etc., above and beyond ticket prices, the need for greater fare and fee transparency, added scrutiny on change and cancellation fees, contract protections for consumers in frequent flyer programs, and opening consumer access to state courts in airline suits.

The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat.11 (2012) mandated the establishment of a committee to advise the Secretary of Transportation on airline customer service improvements. The Secretary established the Advisory Committee on May 24, 2012 and appointed four members, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan as chair, David Berg from Airlines for America, Deborah Ale-Flint, Oakland International Airport’s director of Aviation, and Charles Leocha of the Consumer Travel Alliance. The meeting is scheduled to run from 9 am to 5 pm in the Oklahoma City Room at the US Department of Transportation.

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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’s Greenberg testifying before CPSC: Table saws, ATVs, fire hazards – National Consumers League

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June 20, 2012

 

 

 

 

Chairman Inez Tenenbaum
Commissioners Robert Adler, Nancy Nord and Anne Northup
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East-West Highway
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

 

SUBJECT: Agenda and Priorities FY 2014 

Dear Chairman Tenenbaum and Commissioners Adler, Nord and Northup:

On behalf of the National Consumers League,  I urge the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to place the following issues among its top priorities in fiscal year 2014:

I. Table Saw Safety

On October 11, 2011, CPSC published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to consider whether to promulgate a mandatory performance standard to address the unreasonable risk of injury associated with table saws.  The National Consumers League, joined by Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Public Citizen, and U.S. PIRG, submitted comments urging the Çommission to move forward with the rulemaking.

Our comments noted that tens of thousands of serious injuries occur every year as a result of contact with a table saw blade while in operation.  These injuries cost society well over $2 billion every year.[1] The benefits of reducing these injuries outweigh the costs to manufacturers of re-designing their saws.  The voluntary standard that has existed, with modifications, since 1971, now requires table saws to be equipped with a modular blade guard and riving knife.  While the latest version of the standard is a modest improvement over previous versions, blade guards, riving knives and other anti-kickback devices alone are not effectively addressing the tens of thousands of serious blade contact injuries that continue to occur.

We urged CPSC to enact a technology-neutral performance standard that would require manufacturers to equip table saws with safety devices that would mitigate injury when the operator comes in contact with, or in close proximity to, the spinning blade.

The comment period for the ANPR has passed, and we understand the CPSC staff is currently reviewing the comments to determine whether to recommend that the agency published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.  We hope that the Commission will publish an NPR soon, so that a standard can be enacted as quickly as possible.  With every day that goes by, approximately ten more people lose fingers in preventable table saw accidents.

We urge the Commission to budget staff time and resources in fiscal year 2014 for what we hope will be the final stages of the rulemaking process for a table saw safety standard.  It is long overdue.

II. All Terrain Vehicle Safety

We also urge the Commission to budget staff time and resources in fiscal year 2014 for All Terrain Vehicles.  We recognize in 2012 that the Commission is expected to complete its 2006 rulemaking. However, we urge the Commission specifically to commit resources to continuing research related to ATV safety in fiscal year 2014 and beyond.

III.  Fire and Carbon Monoxide Hazards 

We urge the Commission’s continued commitment to technical research in the areas of fire and carbon monoxide hazards. CPSC’s own data indicate that there are annually 386,000 fires, 2,390 deaths, 12,530 injuries and $6.92 billion property losses related to fires. Cooking equipment and heating equipment account for the largest shares of these fires. We need federal safety agencies with CPSC’s jurisdiction to continue research into ways to make cooktops and space heaters safer and less likely to start fires.

Regarding carbon monoxide, CPSC’s own data indicate that there are close to 200 unintentional, non-fire CO deaths a year from consumer products such as generators and gas fueled furnaces. This does not count the more than 200 deaths a year CDC attributes to CO exposure from automobiles. We urge CPSC to remain focused on technological solutions that will prevent  these useful products from silently killing consumers. Finally, both hazards can be mitigated by effective, and relatively inexpensive, alarms. We urge the Commission to make upgrades and updates to the smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm standards a priority in 2014 and beyond.

[1] Caroleene Paul, Briefing Package, Recommended Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Performance Requirements to Address Table Saw Blade Contact Injuries, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (September 2011) [hereinafter – “CPSC ANPR Staff Briefing Package”] pages 2-3.

NCL statement in support for S.B. 875/A-2258 in New Jersey legislature – National Consumers League

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June 18, 2012

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

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League today announced its strong support for S.B. 875/A-2258, pro-consumer ticketing legislation currently pending in the New Jersey state legislature. The League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Since 2009, NCL has led the fight to protect consumers at all levels of the live event industry.  This includes support for legislation that prohibits ticket-buying “bot” software, increases transparency of ticket holdbacks and promotes transferability and consumer choice in the secondary ticket market.

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud, who today testified in support of the bills:

“Consumers deserve a fair shot at buying tickets, and when they buy those tickets they should own them.  Instead, they often find themselves at the mercy of ticket ‘bots’ and ticketing companies that hold back thousands of tickets for the benefit of V.I.P.’s, promoters, team owners and ticket brokers.  What’s worse, rather that work with consumer groups to address these issues, Ticketmaster continues to promote paperless ticketing – an anti-fan technology that takes away consumers’ rights to share or resell tickets or even to donate their tickets to charities.  We applaud the sponsors of S.B. 875 and A-2258 for their leadership and look forward to working with them to protect consumers in the Garden State.”

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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, visitwww.nclnet.org.

Consumer Action and The National Consumers League joint statement on Michigan Senate Introducing Pro-Consumer Ticketing Legislation – National Consumers League

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June 14, 2012

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

Washington, DC–Consumer Action and the National Consumers League jointly issued the following statement regarding the introduction in the Michigan Senate of SB 1186 and SB 1187, legislation protecting the rights of Michigan’s live event fans.

“Going to a concert or sporting event should be an exciting occasion for consumers. Unfortunately, consumers too often walk away confused and angry from the ticket-buying experience. This is because unscrupulous scalpers use sophisticated software bots to cut in line and grab the best tickets to the hottest events.  Artists, promoters and venues hold back thousands of tickets for fan club pre-sales, credit card users and VIPs. Even when they are lucky enough to buy tickets, restrictive paperless tickets dictate how – or whether – consumers can share or transfer their tickets, including whether they are permitted to give away tickets to charitable organizations or give them as a gift.

We applaud State Senator Joe Hune for his leadership in protecting live event fans and promoting competition in the market for tickets.”

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About Consumer Action

Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Consumer Action focuses on consumer education that empowers low to moderate income and limited-English-speaking consumers to financially prosper. It also advocates for consumers in the media and before lawmakers to advance consumer rights and promote industry-wide change.

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 releases the Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens 2012 Report – National Consumers League

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June 7, 2012

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

Washington, DC –With the school year winding down, many teenagers are in search of that increasingly hard-to-find summer job. The nation’s oldest consumer organization is warning teens and their parents to exercise caution in choosing summer jobs: every day in the United States about 400 teens are hurt on the job; every eleven days, a teen is killed at work.

In the Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens 2012, a new report on teen worker safety released by the National Consumers League (NCL), the consumer group is reminding teen jobseekers that some jobs are more dangerous than others and providing practical advice for teens and their parents on how to stay safe on the job.

“Our tough job market may lead young people who need jobs to take ones that are unsafe,” said Reid Maki, NCL’s Director for Social Responsibility and Fair Labor Standards. Since 2000, the percentage of working teens has fallen 40 percent—in part because the federal government has cut back on funding for youth programs and in part because of the global economic recession. The weakening of child labor laws in some states, and the withdrawal of proposed federal safety protections for children who work in agriculture, also mean that children may not be as safe in the coming year.

“Teens just entering the job market may not think that their job could kill them, but for 34 children and teenagers last year, it did.” said Maki. “Two 14-year-old girls detasseling corn last year in Illinois were electrocuted by irrigation equipment in a saturated field. A six-year-old died as he helped at his father’s landscaping business, feeding a branch into a woodchipper and instantly pulled in to his death,” said Maki. Thousands of teen workers are also injured. Two 17-year-olds in Oklahoma became trapped in grain augur last summer, losing a leg each—an example of the traumatic injuries that can occur.

NCL’s Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens in 2012: (full report here)

  • Agriculture: Harvesting Crops and Using Machinery
  • Construction and Height Work
  • Traveling Youth Sales Crews
  • Outside Helper: Landscaping, Groundskeeping, and Lawn Service
  • Driver/Operator: Forklifts, Tractors, and ATV’s

One survey cited in the report found that more 10 percent of teenagers had been physically assaulted on the job and another 10 percent said they had been sexually harassed. The report also details dangers associated with work-related driving, meatpacking, and jobs in restaurants and retail stores.

“The National Consumers League issues our Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens report to remind teens and their parents to choose summer jobs wisely,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “We want teens to have a safe and productive work experience. The report provides valuable tips and suggestions to ensure that parents can help children protect themselves on the job and help teens be proactive about their own safety.”

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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.