Legal News

Here's one for the tooth fairy: a teething tablet recall has been voluntarily instituted by Hyland's Teething Tablets after news that the oral tablets can be toxic when consumed at high levels. The basic premise behind teething tablets is fairly straightforward -- to provide temporary relief to your children's often painful teething symptoms.

CBS News reports on the teething tablet recall: "The substance in question is belladonna, which can cause serious harm at high doses ... some children taking the product experienced symptoms consistent with belladonna toxicity." Another issue with Hyland Chewing tablets thought to be compounding the problem: the lack of a child resistant cap on many of their bottles.

Symptoms of belladonna toxicity include: seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, and constipation, among other symptoms. The teething tablet recall comes after an FDA inspection of the company's manufacturing facility prompted some concern. Currently, the company is working to refine its testing, packaging and production protocols.

This is known as a voluntary recall, a type of preemptive strike by Hyland to limit any damage already done, and attempt to fix the problem before FDA demands a recall. A voluntary recall is often a smart move for a company, both legally and in the PR world. From a legal standpoint, Hyland is aware of the potential for liability, and taking the tablet off the market as soon as they were alerted to the potential toxicity will shield them from a never-ending barrage of lawsuits. On the public relations end, anytime a company is acting in the best interests of its customers' health, they are also acting in the best interests of their company's reputation.

Related Resources:

• Hyland Teething Tablet Recall (Bable)
• FDA Recall Types (FindLaw)
• Baby Formula Similac Recall Over Beetle Contamination Announced (FindLaw's Common Law)