Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Administration Will Now Allow Nationwide WIC Waivers For Formula
CNN: More Parents Could Have Access To Baby Formula From Abroad
The Biden administration is making it easier for low-income families to obtain baby formula being imported from abroad to alleviate the shortage plaguing parents from coast to coast. The US Department of Agriculture announced Monday that it is offering nationwide waivers so that families with federal WIC benefits can access formula that's not normally approved for use in the program. The products are coming from other countries as part of Operation Fly Formula, which the administration launched last month in the wake of a massive recall of Abbott Nutrition baby formula in February. (6/6)
ABC11 Raleigh-Durham: More Baby Formula Options Become Available For People Who Get WIC Benefits
More baby formula options are now available to families as they try to cope with the shortage. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is making 55 additional formula products temporarily available for people who get benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC. (6/7)
WLWT: Ohio Gov. DeWine Details Effort To Expand Access To Baby Formula
[Gov. Mike] DeWine talked about the national baby formula shortage during a visit to a Kroger store in downtown Cincinnati. He talked about efforts to expand access to formula for WIC participants, including a request to federal officials to remove restrictions on formula container sizes. "It can be very frustrating," DeWine said. "People come in. They see something, but it doesn't fit what their card says." Already, the USDA has approved a request to add 8 different types of formula to Ohio's WIC-approved list. "Beginning a week from today, next Monday, the WIC program will be adding 8 additional Enfamil products to the eligible list," DeWine said. (6/6)
In other updates on the baby formula shortage —
The Hill: Biden Announces Fifth Baby Formula Mission, Shipment To Come From Germany
President Biden on Monday announced a fifth mission to bring infant formula to the U.S. from overseas, with the most recent shipment arriving from Cologne, Germany. The shipment of Nestlé infant formulas will be transported to Fort Worth, Texas, on June 9. The products will be distributed through Nestlé and Gerber distribution channels, according to the White House, with additional deliveries expected to be announced in the coming days. (Choi, 6/6)
CNN: Despite Moves To Increase Supply, Families Are Still Feeling The Pain Of The Baby Formula Shortage
Parents and caregivers continue to feel the pain of store shelves that are cleaned out of baby formula, and many are turning to hospitals and community organizations for help. "There is a lot of panic," said Jamie Lackey, founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Helping Mamas in Norcross, Georgia, which helps low-income families find baby supplies. "We had a mom come through the distribution site the other day -- she had gone on to 15 different stores with her child in the car and could not find a single can of formula," Lackey told CNN's Christi Paul on "New Day Weekend." (Goodman, 6/6)
The New York Times: Parents Of Premature Babies Struggle Amid Formula Shortage
Cameron Stripling’s twin girls were born in February, 13 weeks before their due date, weighing a little over one pound each. Though one of her babies is still in a neonatal intensive care unit in Anchorage, Alaska — six hours from her home — Ms. Stripling, 27, considers herself “really, really lucky.” ... Yet despite her overall positivity, Ms. Stripling’s days are grueling and her thoughts are increasingly consumed by the ongoing nationwide baby formula shortage. (Pearson, 6/6)
Also —
The 19th: FEMA Clarifies Its Message On Breastfeeding Resources
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updated its website last week to make clear that breastfeeding resources are eligible for financial assistance for families affected by disasters – a message that’s all the more crucial as parents contend with a nationwide formula shortage. The clarification comes during the formula crisis, the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season and as the Western United States faces historic wildfires. FEMA’s updated guidance follows a push by Illinois Democrats Rep. Lauren Underwood and Sen. Tammy Duckworth to make breastfeeding more accessible to vulnerable families. (Norwood and Kutz, 6/6)
