Baby Formula Plant That Shut Down and Fueled Crisis Restarts Production
In a statement on Saturday, the F.D.A. said that it had investigators at the Sturgis plant for several days to observe flooring, roofing and equipment improvements made to the facility. Abbott reported that the facility tested negative for Cronobacter, the agency said.
A consent decree the company signed with the government provides a series of new safeguards, including hiring a qualified expert to oversee improvements at the plant and notifying the F.D.A. if it finds any contamination.
The agency on Saturday said the steps it has taken, and the restarting of the Sturgis plant, “will mean more and more infant formula is either on the way to or already on store shelves moving forward.”
The plant shutdown exacerbated an existing supply crisis, as parents rushed to stock up on formula, sometimes driving for hours, as networks formed on social media to help connect them with dwindling supplies.
Navigating the Baby Formula Shortage in the U.S.
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Finding formula. If your baby’s formula was not affected by the recall, but is still not available, you can try calling local stores to ask when they expect to get it back in stock. You may also be able to buy it online. If your baby is on special formula, reach out to your doctor’s office: They might have samples in stock.
Picking a new formula. If you typically use a name-brand formula, look for its generic version. Alternatively, seek a new formula that matches the ingredients listed in your usual one. If your baby is on a special formula for health reasons, check with your pediatrician before switching.
Transitioning to a new product. Ideally, you will want to switch your child gradually. Start by mixing three quarters of your usual formula with one quarter of the new one and gradually phase out the old product. If you can’t transition gradually because you’ve run out of your usual formula, that’s OK, although you might notice more gassiness or fussiness during the transition.
What not to do. If you can’t find your baby’s usual formula, don’t make your own — homemade formulas are often nutritionally inadequate and at risk of contamination. Don’t try to “stretch” your formula by adding extra water, and don’t buy it from unvetted online marketplaces like Craigslist. For a baby less than 1 year old, don’t use toddler formula.
With store shelves bare in some communities, some parents have been so desperate that they have fed their infants powdered oatmeal cereal and fruit juice, even though pediatricians recommend formula or breast milk as crucial sources of nutrition from birth to a baby’s first birthday.
In the short term, imports from Europe and elsewhere announced by the White House are expected to play a greater role in easing the shortage than the Sturgis plant restarting, Steven A. Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, said on Saturday.
The Abbott plant’s reopening will be a relief to parents of severely allergic babies because EleCare is geared toward them, Dr. Abrams said.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/04/us/abbott-labs-baby-formula.html