Abbott announced the reopening of its baby formula production plant in Sturgis, Michigan, which will ease the nationwide shortage of the product in the forthcoming weeks.
The facility was forced to shut down in February after bacterial contamination was detected in it. A drinking formula produced at the Abbott plant made several babies ill, and two of them died, as per a report from NPR.
The closure worsened the chronic baby formula supply difficulties in the United States. In recent weeks, the Biden administration has been importing formula from outside to alleviate the shortage.
EleCare, an Abbott specialized formula, will be offered to consumers on or around June 20, the company said. EleCare is designed for babies who are allergic to cow milk.
After completing initial FDA standards, Abbott, one of the few formula manufacturers in the United States, was permitted to restart manufacturing at its Michigan facility.
Baby Formula Production Will Be Ramped Up
An investigation into the FDA's handling of the infant formula shortage is underway.
In a statement released on Saturday, Abbot said that the company understands "the urgent need for formula, and our top priority is getting high-quality, safe formula into the hands of families across America."
The company added: "We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements.We're committed to safety and quality and will do everything we can to re-earn the trust parents, caregivers and health care providers have placed in us for 130 years."
An agency representative said the Food and Drug Administration has been working "around the clock" to address the supply problems.
The FDA spokesperson stated that the resumption of manufacturing at the Michigan factory is expected to result in "more and more infant formula is either on the way to or already on store shelves moving forward."
Even if the plant reopens, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf has stated that it may take weeks for formula supplies to return to normal, per Reuters.
Shocking FDA Findings
In February, Abbott Laboratories, the maker of popular baby formulae, closed a production site in Sturgis, Michigan, after it recalled infant formula products after a government probe began after four newborns ingesting the formula suffered bacterial infections, two of whom died, according to The Guardian.
The FDA's investigation of the Sturgis factory discovered "shocking" findings such as cracks in critical equipment, insufficient hand-washing, and evidence of previous bacterial contamination.
While the FDA's examination discovered bacteria in environmental tests but not in product samples, Abbott has stated that there is no evidence linking its formulae to the infections.
Following that, the FDA signed a consent decree giving it control over Abbott's operations to remedy the plant's issues.
According to Dr. Christopher Duggan, head of the Boston Children's Hospital's Center for Nutrition, the COVID-19 pandemic-related supply chain issues have impacted baby formula supply in the country, but the Michigan facility closure certainly "exacerbated" the situation,
Before the recall, Abbott owned 40% of the infant formula industry, including Similac, but rival businesses like Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC (RKT.L) have gained market share since then.
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