The China Consumers Association says it has not been contacted by any of the individuals at the center of a dispute between the producer of Whisper feminine napkins and women who used the product in Dazhou, in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In early August, a local newspaper in the province reported that around 20 women workers of Dazhou Mobile had been infected by mould after using Whisper napkins, a product of Procter and Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd.

The Whisper napkins the workers had used were distributed by their company, a branch of Sichuan Mobile.

Dazhou Mobile immediately contacted the manufacturer over the issue.

However, P&G Guangzhou denied the possibility that it was their products that had led to the mould infection.

The company says their products meet relevant national quality and hygiene standards. According to the company, Whisper products are tested over 70 times by authoritative provincial-level and city-level organs in Guangdong Province and Guangzhou. And the company itself is also believed to conduct extensive tests on the product.

Meanwhile, according to test results of a local epidemic control organ in Dazhou, the feminine napkins of P&G Guangzhou meet relevant standards.

However, the test results were rejected by the female workers, who said they would ask another more authoritative organ to carry out fresh tests on the products.

P&G Guangzhou has promised to arrange treatment for the female workers infected by mould.

(People's Daily 08/31/2001)