Products unsafe for infant sleep; CR urges their immediate removal from stores and websites
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports today applauded passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R. 3172, the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2019. The bill would ban infant inclined sleep products and crib bumper pads, both of which are associated with dozens of infant deaths and are not safe for infant sleep.
CR testified in support of these prohibitions at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing in June, and sent a letter to representatives yesterday urging the passage of H.R. 3172 on the House floor. The bill passed the chamber in the late afternoon Monday on a voice vote.
“Lawmakers are taking strong action to help parents protect their babies’ safety. It’s well past time for manufacturers to do the same. They should recall all of these products immediately,” said William Wallace, manager of home and safety policy for Consumer Reports. “Every retailer and website—like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist—should also do their part to protect infants’ safety by removing these products right away.”
CR has pushed for all infant inclined sleep products and crib bumper pads to be pulled from the market. The products conflict with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) safe sleep recommendations for infants to be put to bed alone, on their back, on a firm, flat surface in their own space, with no extra bedding. At least 73 deaths are linked to infant inclined sleepers and at least 48 deaths are linked to crib bumpers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“We commend the brave parents who have been fighting to turn their tragedies into action. It’s their stories that brought these safety hazards to the forefront and helped safety champions in Congress get this bill through the House,” said Oriene Shin, policy counsel for home and product safety at Consumer Reports. “The Senate should follow the House’s lead and pass the bill now.”
As part of a year-long investigation, CR revealed that dozens of infant deaths were associated with inclined sleepers, leading manufacturers to recall more than five million of the products. Consumer Reports recently wrote to manufacturers and retailers urging them to immediately remove all inclined sleep products and accessories from store shelves and online stores, and companies including eBay, Amazon, Walmart, and Buy Buy Baby agreed to do so.
Additionally, the AAP has made clear that crib bumper pads have no place in a safe sleep environment and pose serious suffocation risks. As crib bumper pads continue to be for sale, well-meaning parents and caregivers are unwittingly putting infants at risk, and will continue to do so as long as the products are available.
Consumer Reports urges any parent or caregiver using an infant inclined sleeper or crib bumper pads to immediately stop using them.
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Contact: David Butler, dbutler@consumer.org, 202-462-6262
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.