Baby formula maker Abbott reaches deal to restart plant to ease shortage across US
Baby formula manufacturer Abbott has come to an agreement with US health officials to restart production at its biggest facility, a move toward alleviating a nationwide shortage.
Abbott’s largest domestic factory, in Sturgis, Michigan, was shut earlier this year as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated safety issues.
The consent degree is a binding legal agreement between Abbott and the federal government with measures that the manufacturer must take in order to its facility. The Justice Department filed it in federal court on Monday.
Abbott did not immediately disclose details of its agreement with the FDA.
Once Abbott resumes production, it will take six to eight weeks for the infant formula to start reaching stores. The maker did not provide a date for when it will begin production again.
President Joe Biden has been under pressure to take action to address the baby formula shortage in stores. Many parents have tried to buy the product online or find it at food banks. Republicans have used the issue to attack Biden ahead of the midterm elections in November.
The FDA on Monday was also expected to outline a plan to facilitate more formula imports into the US.
Abbot paused production in February after the FDA started investigating four bacterial infections in infants that consumed formula from the Sturgis facility. Two of the sick infants died.
The company in February also recalled multiple brands of its product, worsening already low inventory due to supply chain issues.
Abbot said it sent a corrective action plan to the FDA on April 8 and that it has immediately addressed issues raised in the agency’s inspections.
‘Our number one priority is getting infants and families the high-quality formulas they need, and this is a major step toward re-opening our Sturgis facility so we can ease the nationwide formula shortage. We look forward to working with the FDA to quickly and safely re-open the facility,’ stated Abbott chairman and CEO Robert Ford.
‘We know millions of parents and caregivers depend on us and we’re deeply sorry that our voluntary recall worsened the nationwide formula shortage. We will work hard to re-earn the trust that moms, dads and caregivers have placed in our formulas for more than 50 years.’
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