The Washington Post reported the Consumer Product Safety Commission “announced … a recall for two brands of high-powered magnet sets [Zen Magnets and Neoballs].” This is a somewhat surprising ending to a nearly decade-long court battle that pitted business interests against the pleas of doctors alarmed by the number of children injured after ingesting the tiny magnetic pieces.

The sets “were intended for adults. The magnets — each the size of a BB pellet — could pull together inside a child’s intestines after ingestion, in some cases causing serious injuries and at least one death, regulators said.”

In fact, several thousand children were reported to have accidentally swallowed small, powerful magnets made by various manufacturers over the last decade, according to hospitals and poison control data.”

“It’s about damn time,” said Bryan Rudolph, spokesman for the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, who has treated children in the hospital for magnet ingestion, told the Washington Post.

The mandatory recall does not affect high-powered magnet sets made by other companies; however, the CPSC is working on regulations that would effectively ban all magnet sets.

© Copyright WLL, INC. 2021. This blog provides a wide variety of general health information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your regular physician. If you are concerned about your health, take what you learn from this blog and meet with your personal doctor to discuss your concerns.