Government looks into complaints that new Pampers diapers giving some babies severe rashes

By Natasha T. Metzler, AP
Thursday, May 6, 2010

Feds investigate baby bottom complaints

WASHINGTON — Government safety officials are looking into a handful of reports of severe rashes caused by new types of Pampers diapers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission started an investigation this week following complaints of babies and toddlers suffering severe and persistent diaper rashes and blisters that resemble chemical burns.

In March, Procter & Gamble launched new versions of its Swaddlers and Cruisers diapers in the U.S. The thinner diapers use the company’s Dry Max technology to replace the paper pulp previously used. Parents’ groups blame the change for skin problems.

The company responded in a statement that these claims are “completely false,” and that it has received less than two complaints about diaper rash for every one million Pampers diapers sold.

“There is no evidence from the people that have called us — or from the research that we have done — that a single baby has experienced a skin safety issue as a result of our Pampers with Dry Max,” the Cincinnati-based company said.

A Facebook page asking the company to bring back the older versions of its diapers has more than 4,000 members. Discussions on the site include parents seeking advice on soothing skin irritations, talking about possible boycotts of other Pampers products, and promoting alternative brands and options.

“These rumors are being perpetuated by a small number of parents, some of whom are unhappy that we replaced our older Cruisers and Swaddlers products while others support competitive products and the use of cloth diapers,” Jodi Allen, vice president for Pampers, said in a statement.

CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson encouraged parents to report any problems to the agency, which he said has received only a handful of reports so far. Wolfson said the investigation is in its early stages and the agency is seeking as much information as possible.

“We would like parents and caregivers to report to CPSC if they feel that their baby has been affected by this issue,” he said. “It’s so important for it to come directly to us.”

Procter & Gamble has shared all of its existing safety data with CPSC, said company spokesman Bryan McCleary.

“We’re happy to work with them to clear up any misconceptions or misleading information that might exist,” he added.

Associated Press writer Jennifer C. Kerr contributed to this report.

Discussion

Chen
May 7, 2010: 5:42 pm

This is true about the pampers. I have 3 kids and they all under the age of 3. I bought pamper for them and they all got diaper rash I thought it was my fault for a lot time but now this came out now I feel a little better it isn’t. I never thought to call the company to complaint am sure alot of mothers never thought to do the same. Well to make a long story short we switch to huggies and the kids bum is much better…I never liked pamper since when all my nieces, and nephews where young they all got rash.

May 6, 2010: 6:41 pm

Hi there - this is Stacy with Pampers! I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a statement released today by Jodi Allen, Vice President for Pampers. For any immediate questions, feel free to reach out to us - Pampers has established a hotline for parents to deal specifically with the Dry Max concerns. It is 1-877-256-3265. Thanks!

“For a number of weeks, Pampers has been a subject of growing but completely false rumors fueled by social media that its new Dry Max diaper causes rashes and other skin irritations. These rumors are being perpetuated by a small number of parents, some of whom are unhappy that we replaced our older Cruisers and Swaddlers products while others support competitive products and the use of cloth diapers. Some have specifically sought to promote the myth that our product causes “chemical burns.” We have comprehensively and thoroughly investigated these and other claims and have found no evidence whatsoever that the reported conditions were in any way caused by materials in our product. Independent physicians, highly respected in the field, have analyzed our data and have confirmed our conclusions. This week we have shared these findings, and other detailed safety information, with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and we welcome its involvement in reviewing these claims and helping to educate parents on the true causes of diaper rash.

At Pampers, we want to reassure all parents that the materials used in the new diaper are not new — they are the same type used in our previous products — and do not and cannot cause so-called chemical burns or other serious skin conditions. We have encouraged these parents who have contacted us to speak with their own pediatricians about the true nature and cause of these problems.

To date, there have been in excess of two billion diaper changes using the new product, with only a handful of rash complaints, none of which were shown to be caused by the type of materials in our product. In fact, we have received fewer than two complaints about diaper rash for every one million diapers sold, which is average for our business and does not deviate from the number of calls we received prior to Dry Max. The majority of our consumers are telling us that they prefer the Dry Max product over the ones it replaced because it is 20% thinner than before.

Unfortunately, diaper rash is very common, and sometimes severe, regardless of the diaper used. At any given moment, more than 250,000 babies will experience a serious rash. Disposable diapers in fact have helped reduce the incidence of rash by more than 50 percent since they were first introduced in the 1960s because they pull wetness away from a baby’s skin. It is very common for parents to correlate a change in our products with the sudden appearance of a rash. Pampers routinely sees a temporary increase in calls whenever we introduce a modification to our products.

We will continue to work hard to educate parents on the facts surrounding this story, as well as defend the integrity of our product from false and misleading information.”

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