Washington, DC--The following is a statement from Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-17), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, regarding the recall of 43 children’s products by McNeill Consumer Healthcare, including certain infant’s and children’s liquid Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl:

“Pharmaceutical companies must ensure their products are not defective or potentially harmful. Parents should never worry about products that they are using to break a fever, or soothe a cold, are going to actually hurt rather than heal their child. As allergy season begins in full force, children need medication to prevent illness, and not be concerned that the cure is going to be much worse than their runny nose.

“As a result of these recalls – the fifth recall for consumers of McNeil products in less than a year – and to prevent any further issues with their products, I have invited McNeil executives to meet with me in Washington to discuss what went wrong and what is being done to avert a potential tragedy. They are threatening the very lives their products are designed to make well with defective products. I want to make sure this never again happens.

“The latest product recall has created a scenario which every parent fears. I am hopeful the McNeil executives understand they need to work with Congress to give consumers renewed confidence in their products.”