Yes, the FDA Is Cracking Down on 'Unauthorized' Lato-Lato Toys

(SPOT.ph) In today's odd news: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health warning against the use and purchase of unauthorized lato-lato on Thursday, June 15. Yes, the noisy clackers both kids and adults are playing with nowadays.

Lato-lato, or those clacking plastic balls that became a trendy cure for boredom, is classified by the FDA as a toy and childcare article (TCCA) product and must go through a notification process before it is manufactured, promoted, sold, or even used. 

In case you don't know, the FDA is a regulatory agency reponsible for licensing, monitoring, and regulation of different products—including drugs, cosmetics, food, and yes, even toys—to ensure its safety, quality, and efficiency.

Also read: Turns Out Lato-Lato Has Western Origins: What to Know About "Newton's Yo-Yo"

These are the lato-lato toys FDA warned us about

FDA issued three separate advisories telling the public to avoid these three lato-lato toys, namely:

• Lato Lato Toys with Handle Glow in the Dark Latto Latto Toy Toy Tok Tok Old School Toy Etek Toy Lato Lato Makasar which can be bought on Shopee

• Pro-Clackers (Lato-Lato with Lights)

• Unlabeled Green Lato-Lato

These toys showed no valid Certificate of Product Notification as of June 5, and since these had not gone through FDA's notification process, "the agency cannot assure their quality and safety."

It warned of potential hazards that may come from the ingredients used to create the toys as these may pose health risks or injuries to its users, the FDA said.

Want to report any "unauthorized" lato-lato toys? You may do so by sending a report at ereport@fda.gov.ph, or call its Center for Cosmetics and Household/Urban Hazardous Substances Regulation and Research at 02-8857-1900 local 8113 or 8107.