[Fwd: new line of pullups]

[Guest guest]

It's not quite the weekend yet, but thought I'd go ahead and share this.

From an undisclosed news wire:

Chattem, Inc., CHTT, a leading marketer and manufacturer of branded

consumer products, today announced a new entry in the baby products market.

Icy Hot® Pull-Ups™ is a new and innovative line of toddler diapers

designed specifically to aid in potty training young children of both

sexes and various ages from nine months and upward. The unique design of

these training diapers offer innovative and effective sensory input in

promoting and supporting the toilet training of young children.

The diapers are equipped with a front panel that contains a special and

proprietary chemical gel which has a strong cooling effect when

moistened. The inside surface temperature of this panel will drop from

ambient temperature to approximately 34 degrees Fahrenheit when exposed

to a substantial amount of moisture, such as when a child urinates. But

will not react to low levels of heat and moisture, such as average

perspiration of a small child. The performance of this front panel will

far surpass the chilling effect of other " wet and cold " feeling pullups

but will not result in any harm nor tissue damage, such as frostbite.

This is the Icy component of Icy Hot® Pull-Ups.™ Combined with this are

six special sensors in the bottom rear of the diaper which are

strategically placed to detect defecation. When any one of these special

sensors is activated, a small battery pack mounted on the rear waistband

of the diaper administers a low voltage discharge to the child's

buttocks through two small electrodes in the rear panel. The Hot component.

The front panel and the rear panel are constructed to ensure safety and

reliability. Neither will interfere with the operation of the other. The

electrical shock in the rear panel will not activate the gel in the

front panel, nor cause it to combust. And neither the gel nor the

moisture that may be present in the front panel would create any

significant danger of electrocution by the rear panel. The other

components of Icy Hot® Pull-Ups™ are constructed in a stylishly modern

design out of flexible materials that provide excellent support and

comfort.

Anticipating some concerns about the electrical properties of this new

product, Icy Hot® and Chattem, Inc. have stated that the voltage will be

quite low and not hazardous. Mr. Bob Bosworth, President and COO, was

quoted as saying, " After all, we just want a little avoidance behavior.

We don't want to scare the crap out of them; that would be

counterproductive. "

Company officials went on to say that this new product will undergo

extensive safety testing before its general release to consumers.

Presently product testing has been temporarily halted by court

injunction obtained by the Humane Society of America. Icy Hot® and

Chattem, Inc. had planned to test their new pullup diapers on dogs until

the Society intervened and obtained a restraining order. Rather than

sustain a lengthy legal proceeding, Icy Hot® and Chattem, Inc. have

ceded that testing the products on dogs could be construed as cruelty to

animals and offered to test the new diapers on lawyers instead. Both

parent activists groups and legal societies opposed this offer. Company,

litigants, and court appointed mediator have now agreed that product

safety testing can proceed with school administrators as the test

subjects. A panel of scientific experts had initially suggested

substituting pigs for dogs but readily conceded that pigs were clearly

more intelligent and sensitive than any of the other possible targeted

test groups, viz. dogs, lawyers, and school administrators.

Icy Hot® and Chattem, Inc. will seek FDA approval for Icy Hot® Pull-Ups™

as soon as safety testing enters its second stage, even though diapers

do not require such approval. Product release is projected for Spring 2007.

Chattem, Inc. (Chattem) is a marketer and manufacturer of a portfolio of

branded over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare products, toiletries and

dietary supplements. The Company's portfolio of products includes

topical analgesics, such as Icy Hot and Aspercreme; medicated skin care

products, such as Gold Bond medicated skin care powder, cream, lotion,

first aid and foot care products; Selsun Blue medicated dandruff

shampoos and conditioner; dietary supplements, including Dexatrim,

Garlique and New Phase, and other OTC and toiletry products, such as

Pamprin, a menstrual analgesic; Herpecin-L, a lip care product;

Benzodent, a dental analgesic cream, and toiletries, such as Bullfrog, a

line of sunblocks; UltraSwim, a chlorine-removing shampoo, and Sun-In, a

hair lightener. Chattem sells its products nationally through mass

merchandiser, drug and food channels, principally utilizing its own

sales force.

© 2006 Chattem, Inc.