RESTORED: 8/12/22
I was totally in disbelief when I heard that babies are still unable to get the formula that keeps them alive and growing. That is unforgiveable.
It is beyond my comprehension that this can continue. Whether it is a political problem, a logistics problem, a marketing dominance struggle, a financial problem, AI data mining, or just another false flag/manufactured crisis…there is no excuse for making the most vulnerable members of our society suffer needlessly.
Where are all those so called philanthropists?? They all have jets, boats and helicopters? Where are all of the GLOBAL CLUBS of movers, shakers and politicians? They can’t even solve a small problem like this, yet they want us to submit to their global plan to run every aspect of our lives?
They want us to believe their fairy tales about space exploration billions of light years away, and yet they can’t get some formula in the hands of US CITIZENS with young babies to feed??
Yes, I understand that the elite see us as less than animals. They feel no remorse for the suffering and death they subject us to, but my God in Heaven why are regular people not screaming ENOUGH??
Every single agency, corporate head and public official involved in this disordered state of affairs and responsible for the suffering of unknown numbers of infants and their parents, should hang their head in shame. SHAME ON YOU ALL.
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🥺 @David J Harris Jr. #babyformula
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Parents are still struggling to find baby formula seven months after Abbott Nutrition recalled their formula.
According to a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Abbott, Reckitt Mead Johnson, Nestle and Perrigo control 90% of the market. The United States relies on those manufacturers to provide the baby formula supply.
WIC operates within an inflexible, $4 billion market which crashed once Abbott recalled their products in February.
“We are working daily with state-WIC agencies to ensure WIC consumers have access to product,” said Reckitt Mead Johnson’s Global Manufacturing Director Art Pike.
While WIC now is offering flexibility in brand choice, it still has a contributing credit in the shortage.
(I don’t think any of their normal business practices have anything to do with this temporary crisis. When infants are suffering all that should go out the window until the issue is resolved, then they can address changes in their system.)
One Tri-State mom expressed her concern saying some parents worry about the shortage daily.
“There are people who are on specific brands of formula that aren’t on the shelves,” said a Tri-State mother, Emily Opell. “I think those are the people that are worried daily.”
Opell says her son uses Enfamil, a product of Reckitt Mead Johnson. She stocks up whenever she can, knowing that production is taking time and her son goes through what’s available quickly.
“I see the 32 ounce liquid [in store], and that bottle would last my son one day,” Opell said.
Reckitt Mead Johnson became the main formula producer in March, trying to substantiate the market without Abbott’s help.
According to CNBC, Abbott controlled 40% of the formula market prior to the recall, with Reckitt Mead Johnson accounting for almost the same amount of the market.
Losing Abbott meant that anxious parents would turn to them.
“We’re doing everything we can,” Pike said. “We are working 24-7 around the clock including holidays to get more feedings to the shelves.”
In his 40 years with the company, Pike says he has never seen anything like this.
“We are now feeding 50 percent of America’s babies with Enfamil, including 211,000 more babies than before the shortage,” Pike said.
Everyone is asking when the shortage is going to end, but no one has the answer.
“We will be running 24/7 through the end of the year to to make certain we are doing everything on our part to end this infant formula shortage,” Pike said.
“Probably the only good thing to come out of it is seeing the way people come together because no one wants you know, people’s babies to go hungry,” Opell said. [So, wait, is this a data mining project, feeding information to AI? Who responds, who shares breast milk, (DNA is passed through breastmilk), how long it takes to work out logistics, etc) (Or is it a redistribution of sales revenues and shares of the market?)]
A mother in Texas created a map to aid parents in finding formula. To check your area, click 
(this is the kind of data that AI feeds on. No, I am not saying that there shouldn’t be a map that shows who is looking to receive and who is looking to share. Bless that Mom! I am saying this is the kind of data they want to grab and feed into their AI.)
The WIC exceptions for formula can be found at the following links for Indiana, Kentucky, and Copyright 2022 WFIE. All rights reserved.
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Khanna: ‘We Still Don’t Have Baby Formula on Our Shelves’ — Operation Fly Formula ‘Only Produced One Week’ of Formula
On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “At This Hour,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said that “we still don’t have baby formula on our shelves.” And that, Operation Fly Formula, the Biden administration initiative that was launched in response to the formula shortage “has only produced one week of baby formula.” Khanna also stated that he doesn’t understand why we haven’t increased purchases of baby formula from Europe.
Khanna said, “Here [are] three simple things they could do:
They could have a ban on exports of gas except for our European allies.
They could actually be buying up food at cheap prices and selling it back to Americans at cheap prices.
Look, the baby formula issue, I mean, I was talking to moms this weekend, we still don’t have baby formula on our shelves. I don’t understand why we’re not buying more European baby formula. The whole Operation Fly [Formula] has only produced one week of baby formula. So, we just have to be far more aggressive. And I have said, in the morning, afternoon, and evening, every day, we have to be talking about the economy and driving down food prices, gas prices, and making more things in the U.S.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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Get Help Finding Baby Formula
If your family is impacted by the formula shortage, you can
- Talk to your OBGYN or pediatrician. They may have samples or can suggest a similar formula that is nutritionally similar to your infant’s typical formula and easier to find. They can also submit an urgent product request to Abbott on your behalf.
- Contact a certified nutrition or lactation consultant by phone, text, Facebook Messenger, web chat, or video call at MyGerber Baby Expert who can also help you find similar formula.
- Locate your nearest Community Action Agency (CAA). Your neighborhood CAA may be able to provide you with formula or connect you with local agencies that have formula in stock.
For Families with WIC
- Connect with your local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinic if you are eligible. They can help advise on your formula needs.
- Families with WIC can find a list of WIC approved vendors who may have infant formula in stock online. You may want to call first to see if the store has formula in stock.
- Substitutions are permitted for specialty, exempt formula that is prescribed by a health care provider. WIC has added some additional exempt formulas to their list.
Report Price Gouging
Residents who suspect price gouging or unfair business practices related to the sale of baby formula can file a complaint with the DCA by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 to receive a complaint form by mail.
Action From the Governor
On May 17, Governor Phil Murphy signed an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency in order to activate State price gouging laws, consistent with President Biden’s actions at the federal level. The order also coordinates relief efforts and enables State agencies to take any emergency measures necessary to protect families from issues arising from the baby formula shortage. Learn more.
Keep Your Family Safe
The NJ Department of Health recommends:
- Check for recalls: Risking serious illness is not worth the risk. If you aren’t sure if a formula is safe, check your formula’s lot code online or call 1-800-986-8540 to see whether or not it was affected by the recall. Impacted lots will start with a 22 through 37, not including the letter at the beginning. In February 2022, Abbott issued a recall of certain powered formulas of brands including Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare that were manufactured at a plant linked to potential bacterial contamination.
- Be careful of alternatives: Do not water down formula, try to make formula at home, or use toddler formula to feed infants without discussing with a pediatrician. Homemade infant formula recipes have not been evaluated by the FDA and may lack nutrients vital to an infant’s growth. Infants under one year of age should generally not have cow’s milk, milk alternatives, or toddler formula. Store brand versions of infant formula are FDA approved and should be considered as an option.
- Be careful online: If buying formula online, purchase from well-recognized distributors and avoid individually sold formula or formula from auction sites.
- Do not stockpile formula: We know you may be worried about your next supply, but all families need immediate access, and stockpiling may further exacerbate shortages. In addition, formula has a shelf life and should not be used past the “use buy” date indicated on the container.
Additional Resources
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Nationwide Children’s Hospital
| 700 Childrens Drive Columbus, OH 43205 (614) 722-2000 |
Contact us by Email |
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Formula Shortage Resources
- Eligible WIC families can contact the local WIC office to identify or obtain additional sources of infant formula nearby. Other families can contact their doctor, their local public health agency, or community organizations.
- The Free Formula Exchange is a nationwide mutual aid network connecting families who need baby formula to people who have formula to donate. This online tool is free to use.
- United Way’s 2-1-1 dial 2–1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist affiliated with United Way who may be able to help you identify food pantries and other charitable sources of local infant formula and baby food.
- Call your local food bank to ask whether they have infant formula and other supplies in stock.
- Certain Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) accredited milk banks are distributing donated breast milk to mothers in need; please note that some may require a prescription from a medical professional.
- Your neighborhood Community Action Agency, like AEOA, may be able to provide you with formula or connect you with local agencies that have formula in stock.
- Here are a few Facebook pages developed to help parents looking for formula.
- Use the Similac Formula Recall Minnesota WIC Approved Substitutions List to help select a similar formula when the preferred brand is not available. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
- Use the Similac Formula Recall Minnesota WIC Approved Substitutions List to help select a similar formula when the preferred brand is not available. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
- Use the Similac Formula Recall Minnesota WIC Approved Substitutions List to help select a similar formula when the preferred brand is not available. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
- Use the Similac Formula Recall Minnesota WIC Approved Substitutions List to help select a similar formula when the preferred brand is not available. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
- Use the Similac Formula Recall Minnesota WIC Approved Substitutions List to help select a similar formula when the preferred brand is not available. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
- Guidance for Changing Formulas.
- Parents using a combination of breastmilk and formula can find Breastfeeding Support during an Infant Formula recall.
- The Minnesota WIC Similac Formula Recall Information page has helpful resources.
- You can find more guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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‘Timeline of Failure:’ The Biden Administration and U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Failed Response to the Infant Formula Crisis
Page | 1
2019
September 16-24: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials conduct an
inspection of the Abbott Sturgis, Michigan infant formula plant, which produces the
majority of amino acid infant formula in the United States. As an outcome, the plant
receives a Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI) and a Form 483. The FDA does not issue
any restrictions or obligations on manufacturing at the plant.1
2020-2021
2020: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA transitions to conducting “mission
critical” inspections. It does not re-inspect the Abbot Sturgis facility to follow up on the previously issued Form 483 and ensure appropriate actions have been taken. The FDA will not inspect the Abbott Sturgis facility again for another two years.
2021
January 20: Joe Biden inaugurated as 46th President of the United States.
July: Nationwide out of stock rate for infant formula is 8 percent.2
September 20-24: FDA conducts first inspection of the Abbott Sturgis plant in two years. Inspectors find the issues uncovered in the 2019 surveillance inspection have been resolved, but issue a Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI) for different items and a Form 483 for formula inspection.3
September 20: FDA receives the first complaint that a child was hospitalized with
cronobacter sakazakii on September 6th in Minnesota. The complaint is received at the
same time an FDA investigator is conducting the Abbott Sturgis plant’s routine surveillance inspection.
November: Nationwide out of stock rate for infant formula rises to 11 percent.4
November 12: Dr. Robert Califf nominated to serve as Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 10 months after President Biden assumed office.
December 1: FDA receives a second complaint, related to the death of a child in Ohio. The Centers for Disease Control determines cronobacter “could have been a contributing factor” in the death.5
2022
January 11: FDA receives a third complaint, related to a child hospitalized with
cronobacter on January 4, 2022 in Texas.
January 13: Dr. Califf’s nomination to serve as Commissioner of Food and Drugs is
reported favorably out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.6
January 28: The New York Times reports baby formula shortages are “worsening
throughout the United States, causing parents to be increasingly concerned about how they will feed their infants.”7
January 31: FDA begins a delayed follow-up inspection of the Abbott Sturgis plant.
February 13: Nationwide out of stock rate for infant formula rises to 26 percent.8
February 15: Dr. Robert Califf is confirmed by U.S. Senate as new Commissioner of
Food and Drugs.9
February 17: Abbott announces a voluntary recall and hold of certain powdered
infant formulas produced at the Abbott Sturgis plant.10 The same day, the FDA
receives a fourth complaint, related to the death of a child, also in Ohio, with
cronobacter.
February 28: After learning of the latest complaint received by the FDA, Abbott
expands their recall to include a specialty product from a specific lot linked to that complaint. The FDA fully agreed with the firm’s decision to initiate, and then expand, the
recall. FDA issues a recall notice. 11
February: As Abbott takes voluntary actions that limit production, Biden Administration officials are aware of the growing infant formula problem. When questioned by CNN, White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said, “As a parent, and with friends and colleagues, we were aware that people were starting to have trouble in stores, but we were aware of this from when the FDA had to take its action back in February, with Abbott and with the steps in the Michigan facility. And we have had a team on this from the FDA and in the interagency process since then.”.12
March 18: FDA concludes its delayed follow-up inspection of the Abbott Sturgis plant.
March 20: Nationwide out of stock rate for infant formula rises to 30 percent.13
March 22: Abbott begins flying FDA-approved baby formula daily from Europe.14
March 24: President Biden states there will be “real” food shortages related to Russia’s war on Ukraine.15
April 1: FDA establishes an Incident Management Group (IMG) to work on supply chain and food safety issues.16
April 8: Abbott submits response and corrective action plan following FDA’s 2022 inspection. Abbott immediately begins implementing protocol corrective actions and plant upgrades.17
April 28: Politico reports a former Abbott employee filed a whistleblower complaint
with the FDA about the Sturgis plant in October 2021, yet the FDA took no follow up
action. 18
April 29: FDA announces it informed Abbott Nutrition that the Agency has no objection to the company immediately releasing recalled product to individuals needing urgent, life-sustaining supplies of specific specialty and metabolic formulas on a case-by-case basis.19
Late-April: In 26 states, out of stock rate for infant formula rises to 40-50 percent. 20
May 1: Nationwide out of stock rate for infant formula rises to 43 percent.21
May 10: FDA announces steps to improve supply of infant and specialty formula
products.22 FDA downplayed the shortage, reporting that despite less available variety,
13% more total volume of infant formula was sold in April than was sold in March.23
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- Under a consent decree, Abbott has agreed to address insanitary conditions that led to the contamination of its baby formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan.
- Abbott said it can restart the plant within two weeks. (beginning of June)
- However, it would take six to eight weeks from the start of production for formula to arrive on store shelves, the company noted.
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- Abbott Nutrition has resumed baby formula production at its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, in a move to address a nationwide shortage.
- The company said it will restart the production of EleCare, a formula for children with digestive issues, aiming for an initial product release around June 20. (so, they are already extending the date by another 2 weeks.)
Abbott Nutrition on Saturday resumed baby formula production at its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, a move toward addressing a nationwide shortage.
The company has been given the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after meeting “initial requirements” as part of a May 16 consent decree.
The company said it will restart the production of EleCare, a formula for children who struggle to digest other products, along with other specialty and metabolic formulas.
Abbott aims for an initial EleCare product release around June 20 and is working to meet guidelines to resume production of Similac and other formulas.
While supply problems started early in the Covid-19 pandemic, issues worsened in part due to the February closure of the Michigan plant amid scrutiny over contamination.
Abbott Nutrition is the largest baby formula manufacturer in the U.S.
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Production at Abbott Nutrition baby formula factory in Sturgis halted by storm
Nutrition products maker Abbott has halted production — again — of its EleCare specialty baby formula at its Sturgis plant after storms blowing across Michigan on Monday caused power outages, flooding and sewage backups.
It’s unclear how the new shutdown will affect supply.
Sturgis is Abbott’s largest domestic factory.
The company, however, said Wednesday it has “ample existing supply of EleCare and most of its specialty and metabolic formulas to meet needs for these products until new product is available.”
Read more: Parents are making homemade baby formula. Experts say it’s a bad idea
Abbott added it is assessing damage and cleaning and sanitizing the plant. (Seriously, how long can that take if you are serious about getting it done. HIRE SOME HELP for heaven’s sake) Torrential storms, the company said, brought high winds, hail and rain, which overwhelming the city’s storm water system, causing plant flooding. (Seriously?? Michigan has high winds, tornadoes and stormy seas/lakes ALL THE TIME. Do they shut down the plant every time there is a major storm?)
“We have informed FDA and will conduct comprehensive testing in conjunction with the independent third party to ensure the plant is safe to resume production,” the company said. “This will likely delay production and distribution of new product for a few weeks.”
Earlier this year, Babies became ill and two died after consuming formula made at the plant. (I thought they said that the investigation found there was no contamination in their product.) Abbott also issued a recall of powdered formula brands, but said that there was no conclusive evidence that its formula caused the infants to die.
Last month, President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to boost baby formula manufacturing to direct ingredients to manufacturers and ordered defense department aircraft to pick up infant formula from overseas.
U.S. health officials and Abbott also agreed to restart production in Sturgis.
Abbot said its products are being released to consumers in need in coordination with healthcare professionals, and parents or caregivers in need should contact their healthcare professional or contact Abbott directly at 800-881-0876.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Baby formula production at Abbott in Sturgis halted by storm
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Second time’s a charm? Baby formula plant at center of shortages quietly reopened July 1
The plant’s owner, Abbott Nutrition, has yet to make public that its facility in Sturgis, Mich., has restarted some operations.
Four people, including a Biden administration official with knowledge of the plans, confirm the Abbott plant in Sturgis, Mich., restarted operations on July 1. An Abbott representative mentioned on a call organized by the FDA on Thursday that the plant had restarted on July 1 and was producing the specialty formula Elecare, according to two of the people who were on the call. When fully operational, the Sturgis plant is estimated to produce about a fifth of the nation’s infant formula supplies and is a major supplier of specialty formulas that children and adults with gastrointestinal and other disorders rely on to survive.
An FDA spokesperson declined to specifically comment on the reopening, but said the decision to publicly announce any information regarding plant operations would be up to Abbott.
It’s unclear why the company hasn’t yet announced that the plant is back online, but manufacturing plants do take time to ramp up, and it’s likely Abbott wanted to make sure processes were running smoothly after previous disruptions before announcing anything publicly, said one industry source.
The Abbott representative on Thursday’s FDA call said to expect a public announcement on the Sturgis plant reopening “soon,” according to two people on the call. The Abbott official said they didn’t have an update of when the facility could again start producing other formulas — including some specialized formulas that are critical for survival for some children and adults with metabolic and other disorders, and are only available through pharmacies or medical supply stores. After the plant shut down for a second time in June, Abbott said that when production resumed, it would restart EleCare production, followed by specialty and metabolic formulas.
Beyond the federal government, other formula companies are also aware that Abbott’s Sturgis plant is back online, according to two industry sources. (sounding more and more like a conspiracy)
After a sluggish initial response, the Biden administration has been working intently over the past two months to help increase infant formula supplies in the U.S., and stocks are now slowly ticking up. But progress has been slow. An HHS official told health care providers and parents on a June 23 call organized by the White House that the administration’s “Operation Fly Formula” had flown 1 million powder pounds of infant formula into the country as of that date.
He acknowledged, however, that that amounts to just a few days worth of formula consumed in the U.S., where families go through an average of 4 million powder pounds of formula per week.
“We are months — months — away from an end to these shortages,” a person who was on the call told POLITICO.
There are other challenges that have limited the impact of the government’s importation strategy: The majority of the formula brands coming into the U.S. from abroad don’t have distribution networks already in place to get supplies to stores, forcing foreign companies to instead sell those products online. That’s locked out a huge share of the U.S. market, including low-income moms and babies who use WIC benefits to buy formula. Those benefits can’t be used to buy formula online. (Are they fricking joking?? We can’t get the formula coming to the US distributed?? Where is FEMA, The RED CROSS, SAVE THE CHILDREN?? What about CHURCHES, they are all owned by the government. They can’t come up with a plan for distributing the formula coming in?? They should have had a plan already before they committed to bringing it in. They did not think about the need to distribute? What kind of a game are they playing.)
“It’s not getting to us,” said one mom in Raleigh, N.C., who uses WIC benefits to buy formula. “I’m really glad they’re doing all this work, but our store shelves are still pretty bare, and it’s July.”
“It doesn’t do us any good if it’s available online,” the mom added.
Amid the ongoing shortages, the Biden administration announced this week that the FDA was working on a plan to extend the temporary measures that have allowed more foreign companies to import formula into the U.S., beyond the original expiration in November. Formula company officials and nutritionists believed the step was inevitable amid the need for supplies.
The FDA said the import move and other planned measures would help diversify the hyper-consolidated infant formula industry in the U.S., which is dominated by Abbott and three other companies. The move to streamline the process also signals the Biden administration is coming to grips with the fact that the shortages may last far longer than November, while also trying to bolster the supply chain against future shocks by adding new permanent providers. (Ok, now we are getting the picture. They created the “CRISIS” so that they could initiate the changes they wanted in our system. Redistributing the portions of the market and bringing in the all important global business.)
Abbott’s Sturgis, Mich., plant has reopened following its closure in June due to flooding.
Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images
One of the nation’s largest suppliers of baby formula has reopened its Sturgis, Mich., plant after severe flooding from heavy rains forced it to temporarily shut down in mid-June.
The Abbott Nutrition facility reopened July 1 and began producing EleCare, its specialty baby formula, an Abbott spokesperson told CBS News and other outlets.
Production of Similac has not yet resumed at the facility, the company told CBS.
In-stock figures for baby formula powder stood at nearly 70% for the week ending on July 3, according to the data analytics and market research firm IRI Worldwide.
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And speaking on the company’s July 20 second-quarter earnings call, Abbott CEO Robert Ford said the Sturgis plant was “very close” to restarting production of Similac, the company’s general formula product, which can be purchased at retail stores.
He recently declined to provide an updated timeline for formula supplies to normalize. “Like a plane taking off, I would expect to see a gradual improvement in the shelves,” Califf told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on July 20. “It’s not going to be a sudden fix.”
The comments were cold comfort to parents who have been scrambling for months to find formula to buy, especially those with children who have gastrointestinal issues or severe food allergies and rely on EleCare or other specialty formulas to survive.
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Shortages of Similac and Enfamil Infant Formulas Put Pressure on Parents
Parents of new babies in many parts of the country are having a hard time finding infant formulas such as Similac and Enfamil in June 2022. The supply chain problems that are currently hampering the U.S. economy have created a very acute shortage of infant formula, resulting in empty shelves and understandably stressed and concerned parents.
UPDATES:
July 15, 2022: The in-stock statistics that many of us have become familiar with that measures the expected demand that stores have available for sale was 72% for baby the week ending July 10, 2022. This is up 2% from the week before but still abysmal.
July 1, 2022: The Sturgis plant for Abbott reopened again for the second time.
June 9, 2022: Danone SA said it will try to help the baby formula shortage in the United States. The French company says it has doubled production and is sending its specialized baby formula to the United States.
June 7, 2022: The baby formula shortage is not getting better. According to Datasembly, out-of-stock rates jumped to 74% in the U.S. for the week that ended May 28. This is up from 70% the previous week. This crisis will hopefully soon be over. But we are not there yet.
June 6, 2022: The White House announces the 5th operation of Operation Fly Formula. This sounds great. But families on the ground are not feeling the benefits.
June 4, 2022: Abbott says it is restarting production at the Michigan facility whose food poisoning outbreak was a significant factor in the baby formula shortage we have. But that formula will not reach consumers until June 20th at the earliest.
May 11, 2022: The baby formula shortage continues to get worse with inventories reportedly down at their lowest point. This week, a number of the nation’s top retailers, including Costco, CVS, Walgreens, and Target, have announced strict rules limiting the amount of formula that individual customers can purchase. The infant formula shortage has recently been made even worse in March when Abbott Laboratories was forced to recall Similac and EleCare formula products after a dangerous bacteria contamination was discovered at its facility in Sturgis, MI.
- The Similac recall is not helping the formula shortage of 2022
- April 8, 2022 update on the shortage
- May 13, 2022 – house oversight committee is looking into baby formula shortage
Earlier this week, the Infant Nutrition Council of America issued a statement recognizing the baby formula shortage. The Council claims that government agencies and formula companies are working to ensure that infants have access to formula. This is little solace for parents battling to find baby formula for their children.
Infant Formula Shortage Makes National Headlines
The infant formula shortage got national attention last week after CBS News issued a report spotlighting the acute lack of formula in many parts of the country. The CBS report noted that infant formula inventories were down 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels and that powdered formula was becoming extremely hard to find in many urban areas. The report of a Similac shortage was quickly picked up by the rest of the national media.
According to the story, a couple in the San Francisco area with a 10-month-old went to nearly a dozen different stores and were not able to find Similac or Similac Pro Advance. After driving as far an hour away to find liquid Similac, the couple was forced to switch to a different product for their son. A couple in the Orlando area reported a similar experience when searching for Enfamil for their 10-week-old son who was born prematurely.
Why Is There a Formula Shortage in 2022?
First, there is apparently an acute shortage of many of the raw ingredients that are used to manufacture infant formulas (which are mostly derived from cow’s milk). These shortages are the result of systemic supply chain problems that have resulted from the COVID pandemic. The lack of raw ingredients has forced manufacturers to slow production.
To compound the formula shortage of 2022, the reduced volume of formula products that is being manufactured is taking longer to make its way onto store shelves. This is largely due to supply chain problems and labor shortages. The net result is that products such as Similac and Enfamil are literally not available at major retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, and Target. Online retailers such as Amazon are also short on supplies.
Shortages May Trigger Stockpiling and Price Inflation
The Similac and Enfamil shortage, which is a grave concern for infants who cannot breastfeed, has predictably started to prompt panic buying like what we saw with toilet paper and other items at the start of the pandemic. A spokesperson for INCA noted that they were seeing “some anecdotal evidence suggesting pantry-loading behaviors, which can put increased pressure on in-store inventory.”
INCA is encouraging parents to only keep a 2-week supply on hand and “avoid unnecessary stockpiling” so as to ensure that all parents have access to the formula they need. But will likely have little impact on the individual choices of parents desperate to meet the nutritional needs of their new babies. There are emergency sources of infant formula. But it’s not clear how effective or efficient these are. (That is easy for them to say. They won’t be the ones watching their baby wrenching in hunger when there is nothing on the shelf.)
The increased attention now being given to the baby formula shortage will likely increase the already high level of demand for formula. The presence of intense demand in the face of lower supplies will almost invariably lead to some level of price inflation.
Health Risks of Enfamil and Similac Infant Formulas
The current supply shortages of major cow-milk infant formulas such as Enfamil and Similac come just as these formula products are coming under fire for posing serious health risks for premature babies. Recent research has determined that formulas made from cow’s milk are potentially dangerous for premature infants because they significantly increase their risk of developing a deadly intestinal infection called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
NEC is a very aggressive infection that attacks the gastrointestinal systems of infants and can cause rapid tissue decay. If not immediately treated, NEC can lead to perforations in the walls of the intestines and lead to systemic infections that are frequently fatal for premature babies.
Over the years, a growing body of scientific evidence of a causal link between NEC in premature infants fed with Similac, Enfamil, and other bovine formulas. Despite being aware of this evidence, the formula manufacturers have deliberately ignored this link, failed to warn about the risk of NEC for premature infants, and falsely marketed their products as safe for preemies.
This has prompted a wave of Similac NEC lawsuits and Enfamil NEC lawsuits by parents of preemies who were fed with these formulas at the hospital and subsequently developed NEC.
Contact Us About NEC Formula Lawsuits
If your premature baby was fed with formula and developed NEC you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact our lawyers online today for a free case evaluation or call
| 800-553-8082. |
Even though the plant has reopened and begun to produce some of the formula product, they are expecting things to remain pretty dire past NOVEMBER!!
Pray for the parents and babies that are suffering. Pray that they find replacements so they are no longer dependent on these companies. Pray that if they are making their own formulas that God will lead them and they will not run into any problems, nor will their children suffer due to unclean or improper ingredients. PRAY that GOD’s will be done in our nations. We have leaders who only care about their own agendas. Pray that GOD will replace them with leaders after his own heart!!!
ASK YOURSELF, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WHEN COWS ARE NOT ALLOWED?? YOU KNOW THEY BLAME COW FARTS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THEY WANT RANCHERS AND FARMERS TO QUIT RAISING CATTLE. NO MORE MEAT!! NO MORE MILK!
That brings to mind another scripture:
Matthew 24:19
“And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”
Mark 13:17
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Luke 21:23
“But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days, for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.”
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