Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Formula Shortages Grow, Parents Turn To Other Baby Food Options
MarketWatch: Baby-Food Sales Surge Amid The Baby-Formula Shortage, As More Parents Consider Transitioning Babies Out Of The Milk Phase Sooner
The infant-formula shortage has led to a surge in other baby-food products. Sales of baby-food products soared by 58% in March and April compared with last year, according to figures released this week by consumer insights and data company Numerator. The level marked the highest sales increase for baby-food products in recent years. ... Among 576 respondents in a poll who said they are recent formula shoppers, 14% said they will supplement the lack of formula with other nutrition. About 10% said they will begin transitioning their babies fully out of formula. (Han, 6/2)
And more on the formula shortage —
Bloomberg: Baby Formula Shortage Worsens To 74% Out Of Stock In US
Out-of-stock rates climbed to 74% nationally for the week ending May 28, according to data on 130,000 stores followed by Datasembly. The increase comes after rates spiked to 70% for the week ending May 21 from 45% the week prior. Ten states now have out-of-stock rates at 90% or greater, including Arizona, Mississippi, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Florida and Washington. Georgia is the hardest hit at 94%, a jump from 74% the week before. (Paris, 6/2)
Bangor Daily News: Bangor’s 1st Breast Milk Donation Center To Open As Formula Shortage Drives Demand
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center will open the Bangor area’s first breast milk donation center in partnership with a regional milk bank as the U.S. continues to deal with a baby formula shortage. The Bangor hospital said the milk depot will open as milk banks across the country experience steep increases in demand. The formula shortage began during the pandemic, but was exacerbated by a recall and Abbott Nutrition’s closure of its Michigan infant formula production facility. Between 2020 and 2021, Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast saw a 20 percent increase in demand, according to Northern Light. (O'Brien, 6/2)
Vox: Abbott’s Baby Formula Shortage Reveals Deep Problems With The US Industry
The story of how the US formula market got into this mess starts with two companies that have fought to preserve their dominance over the baby formula industry — with help from a federal program that guarantees companies huge sales. What is clear now, advocates say, is that the formula industry is in desperate need of reform. The shortages of the last few months can’t be repeated. (Scott, 6/2)
NPR: Baby Formula Shortage Hits Some Parents Especially Hard
The frustration is being felt practically everywhere. This time last year, the average out-of-stock rate in the U.S. hovered around 6%. Store shelves were practically full all of the time. By the end of the last full week in May, not a single state was below 45%, according to Datasembly. In states such as Arizona, California, Georgia and Mississippi, the rate was creeping toward 95%. Everywhere you look, shelves are nearly bare. For some, the crisis has been particularly painful. Even though most families will give formula to an infant at some point during their first year, parents from low-income households or from communities of color often depend on it the most. (Breslow, 6/2)
The Washington Post: Scams, Long Drives, Empty Shelves: What Parents Endure For Baby Formula
Parents desperate to find formula are driving far from home, pleading for help on social media and paying exorbitant prices. Some have been snared by online scams, with opportunists taking advantage of the crisis to make money. Many feel a sense of panic about how to get their babies the food they need. For Christopher Okenka and his husband, feeding their son has never been easy. Since they adopted him as a newborn, the now-8-month-old has had gastrointestinal problems. He turned red, screamed and vomited up every formula he tried before EleCare, a hypoallergenic, more easily digestible brand made by Abbott. (Shammas, 6/2)
KHN: For Many Low-Income Families, Getting Formula Has Always Been A Strain
The ongoing dearth of formula has caused tremendous stress for families nationwide, especially those who rely upon WIC. The federally funded grant program, administered by nearly 90 state, territorial, and tribal governments, accounts for as much as two-thirds of all formula purchases in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs WIC. ... But the program’s massive purchasing also limits choices for families and can make it hard for mothers like Abbott to get formula that is a good fit for their infants. (Szalinski, 6/3)
