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    FDA warns of strangulation with massage machine

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A massage machine intended to relieve stress and muscle tension has resulted in at least one death, according to health authorities, who are advising owners of the device to throw it away immediately.

    The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert Friday saying one death and one near-strangulation have been reported with the ShoulderFlex Massager after a necklace and piece of clothing became caught in a rotating component of the device. In other cases, the FDA says people's hair became caught in the machine.

    The agency urges people who own the device to "dispose of the device components separately so that the massager cannot be reassembled and used."

    Manufacturer King International has distributed nearly 12,000 of the devices since October 2003 through retail stores and websites in the U.S. The company plans to recall the device, according to the FDA. The agency said it could take additional action against the company

    The device was still available online Friday afternoon on Amazon.com and other websites, where it sold for about $140.

    Calls placed to King's offices in Beaverton, Ore., were not immediately returned Friday.

     

    377 comments

    • Joylynn  •  9 mths ago
      Normally I am as sarcastic about recalls as anyone but why are you knocking a valid recall? This isn't user stupidity - this is a product that is dangerous when used correctly. If a product is dangerous when used correctly then it does need to be removed from the market and redesigned. We should congratulate the government when they actually recall a product for the right reasons instead of recalling them over user stupidity.
      • Mark 9 mths ago
        I have several of them they are no problem when used properly and do a good job for what they are designed to do, 11998 people no problem 1 person dead and one almost, what’s wrong with this picture?.
    • derekJ  •  9 mths ago
      no picture of the item, as usual. nice job
    • A Yahoo! User  •  9 mths ago
      Stephen King???????
    • Red  •  9 mths ago
      that's NOT the "happy ending" I was looking for
    • Ted Stosterone  •  9 mths ago
      Yes...someday soon steering wheels and dashboards will be removed from cars now because people keep on bashing into them.

      And train crossings will be lined with armed guards to keep the dum-dums from getting mushed by the metro rail.

      And Water heaters will only come with luke warm water so rain man doesn't scald himself.

      CAN YOU SAY NANNY STATE???

      You can kill yourself accidentally with a kitchen knife if you are THAT stupid.
      Should we only sell "safety knives" now for all the bozo who have no common sense?
      Me personally, I'd rather see item that HELP stupid people kill themselves, so I can drive to work without them tailgating me while texting ha ha ha ha ha
    • Michael B  •  9 mths ago
      how about using common sense when using any device. if you are stupid, then you might die.
    • Jim M  •  9 mths ago
      Hmm...Hmm..well it's kind of interesting that the goverment is concerned with this and at the same time...Isn't government strangling our economy by piling on more restrictions on companies and any hope for new business startups? Also, the dangers of not inforcing the immigration law is more dangerous to the lives of citizens of this country. This puts a bigger burden, (strangulation) on every taxpayer in this country and affects jobs and the economy. It lowers the standard of all citizens along with bringing on more crime. Go figure!
    • Robert  •  9 mths ago
      Why does Yahoo have these doom, doom, doom predictions advertizing the next stock market meltdown on so many websites?
      • Hal 9 mths ago
        Its just the nature of advertizing The country is kinda in a doom and gloom mood and yahoo makes its money driving traffic to its advertizers
    • Al  •  9 mths ago
      Well, don't massage your neck and you won't get strangled.
    • william  •  9 mths ago
      My wife sets on hers works well she likes it.
    • jim l  •  9 mths ago
      Step right up, folks! get the newest and best invention of the century! For a measly $29.95 you get a machine that will not only relieve your stress and aches and pains but also relieve you of your living paycheck-to-paycheck, drab, overworked existence by strangling the life out of you! That's rigth, folks! Step right up....
    • bobby  •  9 mths ago
      that's why i just go to the chinese parlor down the street. all they do is choke chickens.
    • OH NO  •  9 mths ago
      Lets use our tax dollars to send some of these to OBAMA and CONGRESS.
    • Jeremiah  •  9 mths ago
      In more recent news, a car killed someone today, so the government is telling everyone to throw away their cars.
      • Marie 9 mths ago
        I'm krazykatlady. Got lots of kitty cats.
      • Jeremiah 9 mths ago
        I'm Marie, and I have lots of kitty cats...well, 9. Too spooky. And no massagers!
      • Marie 9 mths ago
        Oh I have way more than that. Somewhere around 30. There's got to be more to the story. I cked it out and there is no way a healthy adult could strangle themselves with it. I loved ur comment though, the best one here.
    • Warm Beer  •  9 mths ago
      How about that vibrating razor. It appears dangerous for all the wrong reasons.
    • QuasiG  •  9 mths ago
      I thought massage machines were for the lower part of your body?
    • harmf  •  9 mths ago
      Hmm... I've always wondered where I could buy a strangulation device. And at only $140 that's a real steal.
    • none  •  9 mths ago
      Sounds like Al Gore will have to stay away from the massage parlors, and choke his own chicken.
    • Rob  •  9 mths ago
      If I want to be strangled I just tell my wife she looks fat in those pants.
    • Rob  •  9 mths ago
      I have tried many massage machines. But nothing comes close to the hands of a trained and skilled therapist.
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