The Food and Drug Administration scheduled a public workshop to gather information and facilitate discussion on issues with the batteries used in electronic nicotine delivery systems. The workshop is slated for April 19 and 20.
From 2009 through 2016, the FDA catalogued 134 incidents of e-cigarette batteries overheating, catching fire or exploding. The adverse events injured 50 people, according to CNN.
The FDA is encouraging scientific and medical experts, manufactures, retailers, government agencies and academic researchers to attend the event.
"The issue that's being discussed is exploding batteries. They're stating it's e-cigarettes, but it's basically the battery itself," said Ray Story, CEO of Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association, according to CNN.
Relaying information on one adverse event report, Mr. Story said, "The battery itself was carried in [a] pocket, and that pocket contained either multiple batteries as well as change, a set of keys and other metal objects that shorted that battery out. That's not the fault of the battery. It's the fault of the retailer and ultimately the lack of knowledge of the consumer that causes these accidents."
CNN reported Mr. Story plans on attending the conference.
To learn more about the workshop, click here.
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