The enforcement trends of 2023 have continued into 2024, especially with respect to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency). Both have ramped...more
Methylene chloride, also known as dirchloromethane [osha.gov], is a volatile, colorless liquid with a chloroform like odor. Historically, it has been used in various industrial processes, such as pharmaceutical manufacturing,...more
Food and beverage companies may be surprised to learn that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) is not the exclusive regulatory authority over the safety of foods and beverages. Indeed, other governmental authorities...more
On February 22, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or “Commission”) released a Public Draft of a Report and Order that, if adopted, would establish a voluntary labeling program for Internet of Things (IoT)...more
On September 20, 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a Federal Register Notice and Request for Information asking for public comment about the use and presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...more
On July 21, 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter denying a request that it reconsider its decision from May 2022 that it would not prohibit the use of eight phthalates as food-contact substances. At...more
While the intention is never to create a product that will be recalled, it is a fairly common occurrence. And while the scope of a recall may vary greatly depending on the product and individual facts at issue, the days...more
On March 6, 2023, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) launched a Dietary Supplement Ingredient Directory (Directory) to consolidate information about ingredients used in dietary supplements and provide information...more
As the global economy faces the third year of the pandemic, manufacturers are no longer focused on figuring out when things will return to “normal.” Instead, they are applying lessons learned from the past few years to become...more
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) released its long-awaited Environmental justice (EJ) enforcement strategy today, a priority for the Biden Administration. The enforcement strategy will “advance environmental justice through...more
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch (CPB) released its first-ever annual "recent highlights" report. The report describes the CPB's accomplishments from October...more
In recent decades, the use of plastics has proliferated. Overall, they have shown to provide a cost-friendly, durable and versatile solution to many consumer needs across virtually all categories of products regulated by the...more
Mounting public and regulatory concerns regarding widespread phthalate exposure may result in a rapid expansion of regulatory and litigation risk for impacted businesses. Phthalates are chemicals found in a wide range of...more
On March 1, 2021, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) signaled its intent to increase enforcement of its product safety regimen by seeking to more than double its current $135 million budget via a public letter from...more
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and with an incoming Biden administration that is expected to step up efforts to control the spread of the virus, use of personal protective equipment (“PPE”) and cleaning/disinfectant...more
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has posted a webpage that purports to provide guidance on COVID-19-related consumer products. The CPSC’s new COVID-19 guidance covers two general categories...more
An unprecedented demand for critical medical products in recent weeks has triggered an urgent interest in the potential of 3D printing to create personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical devices during the...more
Consumers need to stay informed and to protect their own interests, especially because big businesses — whether they’re car makers, grocers, or manufacturers of off-road vehicles — may put their own interests ahead of public...more
Product Recalls to Protect the Consumer? Is the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal agency charged with protecting the safety of Americans from dangerous and deadly items in the marketplace, doing its job? A...more
In recent weeks, the news has been full of stories of vaping-related illnesses and deaths. An eighth person has now died from a vaping-related illness, and reports state that hundreds more have been sickened with severe...more
Consumers, regulators, politicians, and journalists need to keep pressing big corporations to better protect the public’s health because such campaigning can work....more
Navigating the U.S. Healthcare Regulatory Landscape for Wearable Devices - Complex Environment Includes Key Federal Agencies FDA, FTC, OCR, CPSC, CMS, and OIG - The wearable device market is emerging as a key player...more
Federal authorities have busted up what they say is a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud that should give taxpayers and patients pause about long-distance medical consultations and the huge sums of cash washing around the medical...more
On December 22, 2018, funding expired for certain agencies within the federal government, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS),...more
While many today returned to work after the Holiday season, things remained quieter than usual here in the nation’s capital – with many federal workers furloughed until further notice as the federal government continues to be...more