Before Fisher-Price recalled its Rock 'n Play sleeper, the company ignored multiple warnings that the product was dangerous, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform said in a report released Monday.
The warnings came from regulators, pediatricians, and customers who purchased the product, the report states. The committee's investigation lasted 20 months, and found that more than 50 infant deaths were linked to the Rock 'n Play sleeper. Prior to the product being put on store shelves, Fisher-Price did not consult with any pediatricians to make sure the design was safe, the report says. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2019 said it does not recommend "inclined sleep products like the Rock 'n Play or any other products for sleep that require restraining a baby."
Oversight Committee Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that Fisher-Price and its parent company, Mattel, both let "corporate greed" take over, adding that despite "clear evidence," Fisher-Price "continued to market the Rock 'n Play for overnight sleep, reaping hundreds of millions in revenue during the 10 years the product was on the market."
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The Rock 'n Play was first released in 2009, and by the time it was recalled in 2019, Fisher-Price brought in at least $200 million in revenue from the product, the report says. In a statement to ABC News, a Fisher-Price spokesperson said the Rock 'n Play was "designed and developed following extensive research, medical advice, safety analysis, and more than a year of testing and review. It met or exceeded all applicable regulatory standards." The spokesperson added that independent medical analyses showed that the sleeper was safe when used according to instructions.
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