Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MUSCAT270
2008-04-09 07:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
OMANI HEALTH OFFICIAL CLARIFIES MEDIA REPORTS ON
how-toVZCZCXRO7118 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHMS #0270 1000724 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 090724Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9465 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS MUSCAT 000270
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EEB/CBA
STATE PASS FDA
COMMERCE FOR ITA THOFFMAN
DUBAI FOR ATO DWILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR SOCI TBIO MU
SUBJECT: OMANI HEALTH OFFICIAL CLARIFIES MEDIA REPORTS ON
U.S. PRODUCTS
UNCLAS MUSCAT 000270
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EEB/CBA
STATE PASS FDA
COMMERCE FOR ITA THOFFMAN
DUBAI FOR ATO DWILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR SOCI TBIO MU
SUBJECT: OMANI HEALTH OFFICIAL CLARIFIES MEDIA REPORTS ON
U.S. PRODUCTS
1. On April 6, the Arabic-language daily "Al Watan" and its
sister English-language "Oman Tribune" ran front page news
articles reporting that the Directorate General of Health
Supervision and Sewage, under the Ministry of Regional
Municipalities and Water Resources, was investigating a
report issued by the Organic Consumers Association that 24
U.S. products were tainted with "1.4 Dioxane." The article
noted that the levels of this substance found in shampoos,
body washes, lotions, and other personal care products from
brands such as Johnson and Johnson, Hello Kitty, Gerber,
Scooby Doo, Clairol, and Sesame Street, were "five times more
than the percentage allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration." The article further quoted Director General
of Health Supervision and Sewage Said bin Darwish as stating,
"It is not an easy job to confiscate all these products so it
is important to confirm the truth behind this information."
2. In subsequent calls by ATO Dubai and Econoff to the
Directorate, Darwish explained that the media misquoted him,
and that further study by his office had indicated that the
products met FDA standards. He criticized the shoddy
journalism exhibited in producing the story, noting that the
reporter simply lifted a similar article from a newspaper in
Dubai a week earlier without "checking the facts." Darwish
added that he appeared on Oman radio on the morning of April
8 to "set the record straight" regarding the report, and
plans to follow-up with an article to be placed in the
newspapers by April 12.
3. Comment. Traffic on Oman's Arabic Internet chat site
"al-Sablah" first began a string on this topic two weeks ago
with the posting of the announcement from the Organic
Consumers Association. With the latest posting of the
article above, six responses have been received so far, all
asking for the clarification of the products "affected" by
the announcement. The Directorate has since been pro-active
in clarifying the safety of these products, and the Embassy
will monitor the newspapers and chat sites to ensure that the
public has the correct information. End Comment.
GRAPPO
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EEB/CBA
STATE PASS FDA
COMMERCE FOR ITA THOFFMAN
DUBAI FOR ATO DWILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR SOCI TBIO MU
SUBJECT: OMANI HEALTH OFFICIAL CLARIFIES MEDIA REPORTS ON
U.S. PRODUCTS
1. On April 6, the Arabic-language daily "Al Watan" and its
sister English-language "Oman Tribune" ran front page news
articles reporting that the Directorate General of Health
Supervision and Sewage, under the Ministry of Regional
Municipalities and Water Resources, was investigating a
report issued by the Organic Consumers Association that 24
U.S. products were tainted with "1.4 Dioxane." The article
noted that the levels of this substance found in shampoos,
body washes, lotions, and other personal care products from
brands such as Johnson and Johnson, Hello Kitty, Gerber,
Scooby Doo, Clairol, and Sesame Street, were "five times more
than the percentage allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration." The article further quoted Director General
of Health Supervision and Sewage Said bin Darwish as stating,
"It is not an easy job to confiscate all these products so it
is important to confirm the truth behind this information."
2. In subsequent calls by ATO Dubai and Econoff to the
Directorate, Darwish explained that the media misquoted him,
and that further study by his office had indicated that the
products met FDA standards. He criticized the shoddy
journalism exhibited in producing the story, noting that the
reporter simply lifted a similar article from a newspaper in
Dubai a week earlier without "checking the facts." Darwish
added that he appeared on Oman radio on the morning of April
8 to "set the record straight" regarding the report, and
plans to follow-up with an article to be placed in the
newspapers by April 12.
3. Comment. Traffic on Oman's Arabic Internet chat site
"al-Sablah" first began a string on this topic two weeks ago
with the posting of the announcement from the Organic
Consumers Association. With the latest posting of the
article above, six responses have been received so far, all
asking for the clarification of the products "affected" by
the announcement. The Directorate has since been pro-active
in clarifying the safety of these products, and the Embassy
will monitor the newspapers and chat sites to ensure that the
public has the correct information. End Comment.
GRAPPO