Abbott tries to Alleviate Baby Formula Shortage Due to the February Recall

In February, Abbott Laboratories recalled some of its popular baby formulas, including certain Similac products, made at its plant in Sturgis, after complaints about bacterial infections in infants who consumed the products.  Unfortunately as a result, a domino effect has caused a massive baby formula shortage across the country that parents are describing as “a nightmare.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had said it was investigating the complaints, which included four reports of Cronobacter sakazakii infections and one complaint of a Salmonella Newport infection. An inspection of the Michigan facility found quality control issues in March.  However, Abbott maintains no formula that has been distributed has tested positive for either bacteria.

Last Friday, the FDA stated that the company had conducted standard product testing and committed to completing further testing of the product batches prior to release. However, as enhanced testing would take more time, the health agency has allowed for the products to be released for individuals needing urgent, life-sustaining supplies.

So, to try and alleviate the “supply chain” shortage caused by the recall, Abbot has announced they will release limited quantities of nutrition products that had been put on hold following a recall of some powdered infant formulas from its Michigan facility. In a statement released on April 15, the company wrote:

Millions of parents rely on our formula to feed their babies. And we know that our recent recall caused additional stress and anxiety in an already challenging situation of a global supply shortage. We are working hard to help moms, dads and caregivers get the high-quality nutrition they need for their babies.

Abbott is working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restart operations at the Sturgis, Mich., facility. We continue to make progress on corrective actions and will be implementing additional actions as we work toward addressing items related to the recent recall. In the meantime, we are working to increase the supply of infant formula by prioritizing infant formula production at our facilities that provide product to the U.S. market.

The nutrition formulas Abbott is releasing include Calcilo XD, Cyclinex®-1 and 2 and ProViMin, as well as Similac PM 60/40. The product lots being released were not included in the recall, Abbott said.

Shipping Formula From Cootehill, Ireland

“We have an FDA-registered plant in Cootehill, Ireland, where we’ve increased the volume of Similac Advance powder formula produced for the U.S. We’re air-shipping product from this facility into the U.S. daily and the product is being restocked regularly. Our Cootehill team sources ingredients from approximately 1,000 dairy farms in the local area. Following stringent quality and safety processes, each batch of infant formula undergoes extensive quality checks before it reaches stores,” the company stated, adding, “this year, we will more than double the amount of Similac Advance powder formula we’re bringing in from our manufacturing facility in Cootehill, Ireland.”

Prioritizing Infant Formula Production in Columbus Facility

“Columbus, Ohio, is the headquarters for Abbott’s U.S. nutrition business and is home to one of our five manufacturing facilities that produce infant formula for the U.S. market. At this facility we’ve made significant changes to ensure we can prioritize production of Similac Ready-to-Feed liquid formula, a product that can be used directly from the bottle. In the second quarter of the year, we expect to produce nearly three times more Similac Ready-to-Feed liquid formula than we did during the same period of time last year. And this product will be available on retail shelves and online soon,” says the company’s statement.

We are dedicated to doing everything possible to ensure parents and caregivers have what they need to feed their babies. And we’re always focused on what we can do to continue to serve our customers. We will continue to work closely with the FDA to implement corrective actions at the Michigan facility…. We know getting your baby high-quality infant formula is your priority — it is ours too.

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