Health Canada has issued an urgent warning to Canadian parents and caregivers about banned infant feeding tools being sold online.
The following infant feeding tools have been banned in Canada due to safety concerns:
- Bottle warmers
- Steam sterilizers
- UV sterilizers
- Formula dispensers
- Baby food warmers
These products can pose a variety of risks to infants, including:
- Burns: Bottle warmers and steam sterilizers can overheat and cause burns to infants.
- Choking: Formula dispensers can malfunction and dispense formula into the baby's mouth too quickly, leading to choking.
- Electrocution: UV sterilizers use high-voltage electricity and can pose an electrocution hazard.
Despite the ban in Canada, Health Canada has discovered that these products continue to be sold online through various platforms, including:
- Amazon
- eBay
- AliExpress
- Wish
Online marketplaces are often not subject to the same safety regulations as traditional brick-and-mortar stores, making it easier for banned products to be sold.
Parents and caregivers who have purchased these banned products online are understandably concerned about the safety of their infants. The sale and distribution of these products is not only illegal but also puts infants at risk.
One mother, Sarah Jones, expressed her frustration and fear after discovering that the bottle warmer she had purchased online was banned in Canada. "I was horrified when I found out that it could have burned my baby," she said. "I never would have thought to check if it was banned before I bought it."
Health Canada is working with online marketplaces to ensure that banned infant feeding tools are removed from their platforms. The agency has also launched a public awareness campaign to educate parents and caregivers about the risks of these products.
In a statement, Health Canada urged Canadians to "be vigilant when purchasing infant feeding tools online." The agency advises parents and caregivers to only buy these products from reputable sources and to check that they have not been banned in Canada.
Experts in infant health and safety have welcomed Health Canada's warning and called for increased enforcement to prevent banned products from being sold online.
Dr. Emily Crane, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, said, "These products are dangerous and should not be used under any circumstances. Parents need to be aware of the risks and make sure they are not buying them."
Health Canada's urgent warning highlights the importance of vigilance when purchasing infant feeding tools online. Banned products pose serious safety risks to infants and should not be used under any circumstances.
Parents and caregivers are urged to check that the products they are purchasing have not been banned in Canada and to only buy from reputable sources. Health Canada and other agencies are working to ensure that these products are removed from the online marketplace, but it is ultimately the responsibility of parents and caregivers to protect their infants from harm.