Eduardo Arias
Encyclopedia
Eduardo Arias is a Panama
nian citizen of Kuna Indian
descent, whose discovery of contaminated toothpaste saved lives by alerting the public to potentially poisonous products purchased from China
.
off the Caribbean coast of Panama.
, Arias discovered that it contained diethylene glycol
(DEG), a toxic substance that had recently caused deaths as an ingredient of cough syrup. On May 7, Arias reported his findings to the Panamanian Ministry of Health. On May 10, Dr. Camilo Alleyne, the top health official of the Panamian Government announced that DEG had been found in toothpaste being sold in Panama City. A national uproar resulted in an investigation, the results of which indicated that Chinese manufacturers were systematically using DEG as a thickening agent (in place of Glycerin, which is more commonly used, but is more expensive) at levels that were far above safety limits. Investigations have also indicated that counterfeiters in China, sometime using branded labels such as Colgate
and Sensodyne
, have managed to penetrate markets in Canada
, USA, India
and Nigeria
.
Despite China's claims that Chinese consumers had not suffered ill effects from these products, the Chinese government did take action to prevent further use of DEG in its exports. Although Arias' discovery led to product recalls and warnings around the world, his contribution was overlooked until a New York Times article appeared on October 1, 2007.
section of Time
magazine in the year 2007.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian citizen of Kuna Indian
Kuna (people)
Kuna or Cuna is the name of an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. The spelling Kuna is currently preferred. In the Kuna language, the name is Dule or Tule, meaning "people," and the name of the language in Kuna is Dulegaya, meaning "Kuna language" - Location :The Kuna live in three...
descent, whose discovery of contaminated toothpaste saved lives by alerting the public to potentially poisonous products purchased from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Early life
Arias was born and grew up in a reservation in one of the San Blas IslandsSan Blas Islands
The San Blas Islands of Panama is an archipelago comprising approximately 378 islands and cays, of which only 49 are inhabited. They lay off the north coast of the Isthmus, east of the Panama Canal...
off the Caribbean coast of Panama.
Toothpaste recall
On May 5, 2007, upon purchasing a tube of toothpaste from the Vendela Discount Store in Panama CityPanama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Arias discovered that it contained diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol is an organic compound with the formula 2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, poisonous, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is miscible in water, alcohol, ether, acetone, and ethylene glycol. DEG is a widely used solvent...
(DEG), a toxic substance that had recently caused deaths as an ingredient of cough syrup. On May 7, Arias reported his findings to the Panamanian Ministry of Health. On May 10, Dr. Camilo Alleyne, the top health official of the Panamian Government announced that DEG had been found in toothpaste being sold in Panama City. A national uproar resulted in an investigation, the results of which indicated that Chinese manufacturers were systematically using DEG as a thickening agent (in place of Glycerin, which is more commonly used, but is more expensive) at levels that were far above safety limits. Investigations have also indicated that counterfeiters in China, sometime using branded labels such as Colgate
Colgate (toothpaste)
Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
and Sensodyne
Sensodyne
Sensodyne is a toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash marketed for individuals with sensitive teeth and/or dentine hypersensitivity. It is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline which acquired it in 2001 in the purchase of Block Drug which developed it....
, have managed to penetrate markets in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, USA, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Despite China's claims that Chinese consumers had not suffered ill effects from these products, the Chinese government did take action to prevent further use of DEG in its exports. Although Arias' discovery led to product recalls and warnings around the world, his contribution was overlooked until a New York Times article appeared on October 1, 2007.
Current Life
Arias currently lives alone in Panama City. He was listed as one of the People Who Mattered in the Person of the YearPerson of the Year
Person of the Year is an annual issue of the United States newsmagazine Time that features and profiles a person, couple, group, idea, place, or machine that "for better or for worse, ...has done the most to influence the events of the year."- History :The tradition of selecting a Man of the Year...
section of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine in the year 2007.