06.13.11
Procter & Gamble said it has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by parents who claimed its Pampers Dry Max diapers caused skin rashes and other problems for their babies. P&G will pay attorney fees, estimated at $2.7 million, and $1000 to each child of 59 plaintiffs, under terms subject to final approval in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, OH. The company will also spend $400,000 to create a pediatric resident training program and provide skin rash education, including on the Pampers website.
P&G said it isn't paying the plaintiffs' damages.
The proposed settlement would end the legal action triggered by last year's launch of Dry Max, which P&G touted as thinner and more absorbent.
Following the launch of Dry Max, complaints about rashes spread quickly online but P&G said no link was found. In fact, in September, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC) reported they found no link between Pampers Dry Max diapers and diaper rash. At that time, both agencies said they would continue to evaluate consumer complaints related to Pampers Dry Max diapers and provide parents with updated information if this assessment changes.