The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is calling on all parents, guardians, dental professionals to immediately stop using Listerine Plaque Detecting Rinse COOL BLUE AGENT in all flavours as the product has been recalled by the U.S. manufacturer MCNeil-PC due to potential harm that may be caused by microorganisms which could form in the mouthwash.

The commission is further requesting that parents discard the mouthwash immediately as some children may not be able to determine the risk involved. "What is important to us is that consumers take action to remove any possibility of even a single child being put at risk. Health and safety is our concern here as it is of the manufacturer and distributor, I am sure," the commission's CEO, Mrs. Dolsie Allen, said.

Last week, the CAC received several calls from consumers who had bought the mouthwash for their children and were inquiring what would be the CAC's course of action. Based on discussions with Johnson & Johnson, consumers will be offered an option of refund or exchange and should stop using the product immediately and return it to the point of sale. The manufacturer has given its reassurance that it will make all provisions to collect the bottles from the retailers.

In addition, correspondence forwarded to the commission by the local manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson Caribbean, has indicated that they in collaboration with their local distributor H.D. Hopwood have "embarked on an all-island recall-pulling from the shelves of all stores".

In a press release dated April 13, 2007, by McNEIL-PPC Inc., the U.S. manufacturer, who voluntarily recalled the item, indicated that they have "conducted a thorough assessment and concluded that the risk of illness in healthy individuals following use of this product is very low. However, there could be a significant health risk to individuals with weakened or suppressed immune systems. To date, there have been no consumer adverse health events reported that are related to this issue."

The only countries outside of the U.S. that are impacted are in the Caribbean and include Puerto Rico, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti, Netherlands Antilles, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Contact:

Dorothy E. Campbell (Miss)

Communication Specialist

info_c@consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm

926-1650-2 Fax: 968-8729

www.consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm