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FDA Recall Classifications: Where is the FDA's passion for peanuts?

By Steve Lombardi

You should know the FDA Recall Classifications so today and tomorrow I'm going to explain the classifications and tell you how to use the Internet to monirot your health situation. And at this time of year, it getting close to opening day at most ballparks we're going to keep in mind the all important question: Where is the FDA's passion for peanuts? Peanut butter is as American as is baseball, the MLB Association and America's favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. (No Yankee talk here.) After all we can't have someone having a heart attack at the ball park.

After seeing announced a Class II recall by the FDA, I wondered; what are the recall classes under the FDA and USDA recall regulations? Today we present them hoping to make you smarter about what it means when a product is recalled.

FDA recall classifications

Class I – The most severe and these items are expected to cause serious injury or death. As can be surmised these are the most serious recalls.

Class II - Are issued on products that have a lower chance of causing major injuries or death, but where there is still the possibility of serious enough adverse events to have irreversible consequences.

Class III - Are not very likely to cause adverse health consequences, but there is still a chance and therefore the product is being recalled.

Market withdrawal - Occurs when a product has a minor violation that would not be subject to FDA legal action. The firm removes the product from the market or corrects the violation. For example, a product removed from the market due to tampering, without evidence of manufacturing or distribution problems would be a market withdrawal.

Medical device safety alert - Issued in situations where a medical device may present an unreasonable risk of substantial harm. In some case, these situations also are considered recalls. With medical devices it's not always about the product being so defective that it has to be recalled. Some times devices simply need checking, adjusting or modifications that are easily done.

You can sign up for emails about the latest recalls, market withdrawals and medical device safety alerts at the main recall page of the FDA Site. It's also on an RSS feed. Over the next few days I'll cover what actually happens with each type of recall. The more serious of course require the most action and so on.

You can sign up for US Recall News and it will be delivered to your email box or reader.

To recap Class I recalls need your urgent attention. As an example, if as a patient you have a pacemaker it's important that you know the manufacture, make and model number. It's also important that you follow the FDA recalls just in case yours is recalled. There is another method you can use to track any news on the device. Tomorrow I'll cover a method every American with a pacemaker or other implant should use to stay safe from defects.

The peanut butter contamination and baby formula-melamine contamination cases have us all a little on edge. I don't know anyone who has not come into contact with peanut butter in their lifetime. Most of us have had our mother's send us off to school with peanut butter crackers. Peanut butter is nearly an American institution; as American as is baseball and basketball. So when the food poisoning cases began to surface I waited for Alan Jackson to come out with a ballad about the peanut butter recall. Come on Mr. Jackson what's up with that? No passion for peanut butter?

You can learn more about FDA recalls and alerts on the FDA website.

And to learn what it's like to attend a game at Fenway Stadium you'll first have to learn to sing the song Sweet Caroline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUA_H_UV9uI

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on March 30, 2009 (boomark / email).