Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA OKs Import Of 2 Million UK Baby Formula Cans
Reuters: U.S. FDA Allows Importing Of 2 Mln Baby Formula Cans From UK
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is easing regulations to allow infant formula imports from Britain, a move it said on Tuesday would bring around 2 million cans onto empty shelves by June to ease a nationwide shortage. The FDA said it was "exercising enforcement discretion" to allow Britain-based Kendal Nutricare to import certain infant formula products under the Kendamil brand that it has no safety or nutrition concerns over following an evaluation. (Aboulenein and Rajesh, 5/24)
Reuters: Danone Doubles Supply Of Some Baby Formula To U.S. Amid Shortage
Danone SA [of France] has been doubling shipments to the United States of Neocate formula for infants allergic to cow's milk while Enfamil maker Reckitt is also working to boost supplies amid a nationwide shortage, company executives said on Wednesday. ... Danone - the world's second-biggest baby formula maker after Nestle but a relatively small player in the United States with less than 5% of market share - is stepping up supply of Neocate. ... The French company declined to say how many cans or tonnes of product it is exporting. (Naidu, 5/25)
The Wall Street Journal: Abbott To Release 300,000 Specialty Baby Formula Cans
Abbott Laboratories will release about 300,000 cans of a specialty infant formula for children in urgent medical need, while U.S. health regulators cleared the import of about 2 million cans of formula from the U.K. to try to mitigate a shortage. Abbott, of Abbott Park, Ill., said Tuesday it is releasing limited quantities of EleCare, an amino acid-based powder for infants with severe food allergies or gastrointestinal disorders. (Loftus, 5/24)
Chicago Tribune: Abbott To Restart Formula Production June 4 At Its Michigan Facility, And Release EleCare Now
Abbott Laboratories plans to restart production of infant formula at its Michigan facility June 4, and it will begin releasing specialty formula EleCare in the next several days, the company said Tuesday. The announcement comes amid a nationwide shortage of infant formula caused by supply chain issues and exacerbated by a recall of formulas made at Abbott’s Sturgis, Mich., facility. Abbott recalled a number of infant formulas produced at that facility in February as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it was investigating complaints of Cronobacter sakazakii infections among four babies who reportedly consumed formula made there. All four were hospitalized, and Cronobacter may have contributed to two babies’ deaths, according to the FDA. (Schencker, 5/24)
More response from the FTC and FDA —
The Hill: FTC Opens Inquiry Into Baby Formula Shortage
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an inquiry Tuesday into the infant formula shortage and said it will assess the impact of mergers and acquisitions in the market. The agency said it will investigate bots reselling formula at “exorbitant prices” and seek public comment on the factors that “contributed to the shortage or hampered our ability to respond to it.” (Schonfeld, 5/24)
AP: FDA Chief To Detail Delays Inspecting Baby Formula Plant
Federal plans to inspect a baby formula factory linked to the nationwide shortage were slowed by COVID-19, scheduling conflicts and other logistical problems, according to prepared testimony from the head of the Food and Drug Administration. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf is set to answer questions Wednesday from House lawmakers probing the events leading to the formula shortage, which has forced the U.S. to begin airlifting products from Europe while many parents still hunt for scarce supplies. (Perrone, 5/25)
