Cárdenas, Schrier, Blumenthal Introduce Bill to Prevent Child Death and Injury From Magnet Ingestion

Statement

Today, Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Congresswoman Kim Schrier M.D. (WA-08) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT-D) introduced the bicameral Magnet Injury Prevention Act to ban small, high-powered magnets following reports of severe intestinal trauma due to accidental ingestion in the United States. These high-powered magnets pose life-threatening risks to adolescent children with two reported deaths, numerous serious injuries and over 4,500 hospital visits. Most victims are between 11 months and 16 years old.

"There is no reason that these dangerous small, high-powered magnets should be on the market or sold in products for kids," said Congressman Cárdenas. "As a grandfather, this is personal for me. We have an obligation to do all that we can to prevent life-threatening products from reaching the hands of children. I am thankful for the support of my friend Dr. Schrier and Senator Blumenthal. When it comes to the safety of American children, we must all work together."

"I'm happy to join Rep. Cardenas again in this effort to protect young children from accidentally swallowing harmful magnets," said Congresswoman Schrier. "As a pediatrician, I know all too well that children are curious and young children will frequently put things in their mouths. In this case, magnets in the gut can spell disastrous consequences, including death. This bill is important because it will protect children and give parents some peace of mind"

"Thousands of children have suffered severe internal injuries and even death after accidentally swallowing small but powerful magnets," said Senator Blumenthal. "This important measure would help keep them away from kids. I am pushing for this ban on magnets that pose a deadly serious threat to kids."

The Magnet Injury Prevention Act bans certain small, high-powered magnet sets. Specifically, it seeks to ban individual or set of separable magnets that are designed, marketed or intended to be used for entertainment, jewelry, mental stimulation, stress relief or a combination of these and is or contains any magnet with a flux index of 50 kG2 mm2 or greater. The bill also directs the CPSC to promulgate a final product safety standard for magnets with a flux index of below 50kG2 mm2 but above 20 kG2 mm2 if deemed necessary. The flux index measures the power of the magnet.

The legislation is endorsed by the Consumer Federation of America, Kids in Danger, the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery and the North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN).

"We applaud Representatives Cárdenas and Schrier, and Senator Blumenthal for introducing the Magnet Injury Prevention Act," said Rachel Weintraub, legislative director and general counsel with Consumer Federation of America. "This bill will protect children from the hidden hazards and severe health consequences caused by swallowing more than one small high-powered magnet."

"Magnet ingestion can lead to horrific injuries, especially in young children," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "KID thanks Rep. Cárdenas and Senator Blumenthal for re-introducing the Magnet Injury Prevention Act which will help prevent ingestion of small, high-powered magnets, and will lead to fewer emergency room visits and deaths."

"The significant risks of ingesting certain high-powered magnets and the resulting devastating complications pose such a danger to all Americans, especially children, to warrant their immediate removal from the market," said American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery EVP/CEO James C. Denneny III, MD. "Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons are all too familiar with the dangers of certain high-powered magnets, and recognize that Congress must take action against this threat. The Magnet Injury Prevention Act is an important step toward ensuring the safety of a vulnerable population, and the AAO-HNS commends Representative Cardenas' leadership to protect all Americans from this avoidable tragedy."

"The North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) endorses the Magnet Injury Prevention Act and applauds Rep. Cardenas, Rep. Schrier and Sen. Blumenthal for their leadership to protect children from hazardous high-powered magnets," said Benjamin Gold, MD, NASPGHAN president. "Kids swallow a lot of things they shouldn't, but the intestinal trauma that two or more small powerful magnets can cause when ingested is unlike any other foreign body ingestion because these magnets can create holes in the bowel when they connect. For nearly a decade NASPGHAN has been working to rid the market of these dangerous products and asks Congress to act this year to pass this sensible legislation."

For a fact sheet on the Magnet Injury Prevention Act, click here.

To learn about how to help prevent serious magnet ingestion injuries and deaths, click here. To learn about what to do if a child swallows a magnet, click here.

Source