Mothers face a number of challenges to long-term breastfeeding, including returning to work and finding the time and equipment needed to pump breast milk. Why is there a baby formula shortage? ", Brian Dittmeier, the senior director of public policy at the National WIC Association, a nonprofit that works to provide nutritional assistance to women, infants and children (WIC), told the New York Times that the "unprecedented scope of this infant formula recall has serious consequences for babies and new parents. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. You can also contribute via. "Raising a baby during these times is not the easiest," DiNicola said. 3 Types of Baby Formula Recalled After Reported Bacterial Infections. The New York Times, 19 Feb. 2022. Its definitely possible for a new entrant thats small to start chipping away at some of the market share, says Wang, who covers Bobbie competitor Abbott. Millions of babies in the US rely on formula, which is the only source of nutrition recommended for infants who are not exclusively breastfed. Amid mounting pressure, FDA on May 16 announced it would temporarily lift some import rules. She previously worked for Fortune Magazine and also wrote about debt, monetary policy and mutual funds at Dow Jones. The 14 babies in the program drink seven different kinds of formula. A letter to the agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, from eight senators including Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren stated: The infant formula industry has reached an alarming level of corporate concentration., Some are calling for federal action to tackle the monopoly a handful of companies have on the formula market. Long-term economic pressures collided with a sudden supply shock. Reich said: "Unfortunately, given the unprecedented amount of volatility to the category, we anticipate baby formula to continue to be one of the most affected products in the market. The frustration has been high., Julie Creswell is a New York-based reporter. The United States is also one of a handful of countries that has not signed a World Health Organization code on baby formula, which included labeling rules. The out-of-stock rate for baby formula hovered between 2% and 8% in the first half of 2021, but began rising sharply last July. She and her staff were often driving to Walmart, Walgreens or a local grocery chain or scouring Amazon for some of the more obscure brands. Carle Stenmark, a general partner at VMG Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm that led Bobbies series A round of funding in the spring of 2021, takes a more bullish view. Those concerns were ultimately borne out when the FDA inspected the plant over the winter and found five different strains of Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacteria that can be deadly if consumed by newborns. She has covered banks, private equity, retail and health care. To be frank, there is a lot of consumer mistrust around Similac right now, said Mr. Dittmeier of the W.I.C. Its hard enough to be a parent to a baby, infant or toddler, and its OK to use a different brand of formula than youre used to using.. Formula makers often rely on federal standards for designing their formulas. Sept. 12, 2022 More than six months after one of the largest infant formula manufacturing plants in the United States issued a recall and was then shut down because of contamination concerns, a. As long as supplies are limited, some people may struggle to feed their children or themselves. It boggles my mind that the supply chain was so fragile and could be broken in such a major way, said Christine Robinson, whose 8-month-old son is fed with formula. But federal figures show that only one in four are relying solely on breast milk at that age. Modi started the company because she was once in Deragischs shoes. The formula shortages have been especially dangerous for parents of infants, children and adults who have medical conditions that require them to drink formula as their only source of nutrition. A sign posted in July at a Target store in Queens, N.Y., assured shoppers that more baby formula would be available in coming weeks. FDA review says multiple factors contributed to baby formula shortage - NPR Support our mission by making a gift today. Requiring a warning would give public officials a chance to start making contingency plans. President Biden said Wednesday he was not aware of how dire the baby formula shortage was until April, though formula manufacturers said they alerted . The customer base is naturally limited, as infants grow up and age out of eating formula. Dittmeier at the National WIC Association told me that, at the very least, the formula industry must create redundancies that would prevent the closure of a single factory from disrupting the supply of infant formula so severely. UKbaby milk maker to fly formula to US to help ease shortages, Whos to blame for the US baby milk crisis? ", In addition to these recalls, general inflation and supply chain issues have compounded the problem. Please enter a valid email and try again. A Record $3.4 Billion Haul For The World's 50 Highest-Paid Athletes, The Great Yield Chase: Why A Trillion Has Fled Traditional Bank Accounts. At the start of. The federal Woman, Infants, and Children program, which covers about 6 million people and helps low-income pregnant women and families afford certain staple products, subsidizing the purchase of more than half of the baby formula in the United States. said it would release guidance this month on how the new companies could continue to sell in the United States past this fall. The shutdown created a massive shortage. Parents should avoid watering down formula, according to Pierce, as it may cause an electrolyte imbalance: "This is not just a lack of weight gain but just electrolyte imbalances. Cleveland also noted that his company, in coordination with FDA, pushed all of its reserve supplies into the market and urged its retailers to do the same. Bobbie, of course, is both. One reason is the market itself. 2022. Please Help: A Nationwide Baby Formula Shortage Worsens. The New York Times, 8 May 2022. Last modified on Tue 17 May 2022 11.44 EDT The US baby formula shortage is leaving manufacturers scrambling and parents in desperation. While the situation has improved since mid-July, the out-of-stock figure for powdered formula on store shelves in late August remained at 23 percent, still above the 10 percent it was before the recall and shutdown, according to the market research firm IRI. Baby Formula Shortage: Parents Taking Real Risk on Homemade Recipes. Newsweek, 10 May 2022, https://www.newsweek.com/baby-formula-shortage-expert-warns-homemade-recipes-real-risk-1705264. Why is there a baby formula shortage? Reasons include 2022 recall That sounds so crazy, but when youre a new mom and youre scared and you feel like you have one job and thats to feed your baby and you cant do it. Biden officials have privately complained the larger administration response was also hobbled by FDAs delayed response to early warnings about conditions at the Michigan Abbott plant. Jennifer Kelly, who is the family services manager at the early Head Start program in Swainsboro, which is between Macon and Savannah, said trying to find formula earlier this summer had become a daily chore.. In mid-October 2022 the FDA announced a shortage of mixed amphetamine salts, more commonly known as Adderall, a stimulant drug commonly used to treat ADHD. Reader support helps keep our explainers free for all. In February, Abbott Laboratories, maker of popular baby formulas, closed a manufacturing facility in Sturgis, Michigan, after it recalled infant formula products when a federal investigation started after four babies taking the formula developed bacterial infections, two of whom died. Those women are less likely to have flexibility in their jobs to be able to pump and express milk, said Dr Ann Kellams, a University of Virginia faculty pediatrician and board president of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Amazon said on Thursday it was working to keep the products available on its website and monitoring third-party sellers for price-gouging. (modern). The FDA has different standards for approval, safety, and even labeling of formula than regulators in Europe. Zinkevych/Getty Images. Parents should also be wary of homemade recipes, as these concoctions may include too little, or too much, of certain nutritional elements. ByHeart, which is currently out of stock, compares at $1.62 per ounce. Abbott Nutrition, one of the leading manufacturers of baby formula, voluntarily recalled three types of baby formula after four babies were sickened after consuming the products. Why is there a baby formula shortage? Reasons include 2022 recall Part of the problem could have been prevented if we took better care of our children, Kellams said. Formula makers achieve those levels by adding various sugars, oils and minerals. The WIC program provides nutritional assistance for women, infants and children, and accounts for about half the formula use in the country. For CVS and Walgreens, the limit is three per customer. Only 2% of formula is imported and FDA rules make it very hard for new companies to enter the market. Google Pay. We continue to maximize our domestic manufacturing, running overtime and going 24/7. He added that the company had received approval to bring in formula from its plants in Singapore and specialty formula from its facilities in Mexico. D-Conn., who called on the FDA in March to provide answers as to why there was delayed . Before the recall, according to the same data, in-stock rates were around 90 percent, although supply chain constraints had been disrupting infant formula supplies throughout the pandemic. Children have ended up in the hospital as parents have resorted to desperate measures, like dangerously diluting the formula they have. The product data firm Datasembly reported that 40 percent of infant formulas were out of stock across the nation the week of April 23, an increase from earlier in the month. Pissed off by the limited selection on store shelves and aware that relatives living in Europe had better options, Modi says she threw herself into studying the market. White House: FDAs Working On Baby Formula Shortage, But Theres No National Stockpile. HuffPost, 9 May 2022, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-house-fda-baby-formula_n_62797de0e4b0b7c8f087f399. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today. Why a baby formula shortage is so serious, briefly explained Most families rely on infant formula to one degree or another. Katie Angottinot, a pregnancy nutritionist and baby-weaning expert, told Newsweek: Infant formula is a controlled food created to meet the specific nutritional needs of babies. What is baby formula? What caused the crisis? But full-scale reform should also be on the table, he said, which would include re-evaluating our relationship with imports.. Something went wrong. The 14 babies she watches drink seven different kinds of formula. The White House maintains that it took immediate action when data the administration was tracking showed infant formula supplies dropping in April. By submitting your email, you agree to our, The Georgia Trump election investigation keeps getting bigger, How some people get away with doing nothing at work, A personality test cant tell you who you are, Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword, Sign up for the With shrewd marketing and a product thats an answer for mothers looking to find something new and different to satisfy their hungry babies, Bobbies annual revenue has grown to $100 million in its most recent fiscal year, Forbes has exclusively learned. When will the formula shortage be over? A lack of clarity about infant formula stocks and failure to communicate the risks to the highest levels at the White House help explain how a serious situation rose to a crisis. What Is Causing the Baby Formula Shortage? US birth rates had stalled and then steadily dropped for years, before finally seeing a small uptick in 2021. Those processes unfolded over a span of weeks. The shuttered Abbott plant in Michigan was a key supplier of such specialty formulas, some of which the White House has been working to fly in from abroad. Is there enough formula to go around? Even if a parent at a low-wage job wanted to pump breast milk at work or take time off to be able to breastfeed a baby at home, they are also the workers who are least likely to have paid family leave or have adequate space and time at their workplace to pump. The Baby Formula Supply Problem Is Getting Worse. CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/08/business/baby-formula-shortage/index.html. Baby formula has been running low all over the United States, threatening the health of infants and other people who depend on it for their sustenance. When the product meets the community, you earn brand loyalty. The answer is yes, there already is enough formula here, said Dr. Robert M. Califf, the commissioner of the F.D.A. At one point, the president asked the formula executives if they initially recognized how big a crisis the Abbott recall and plant closure would create. Certainly, the families who have fewer resources, have fewer options, who arent able to pay premium prices are going to be more at risk, said Ann Kellams, a University of Virginia faculty pediatrician and board president of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. And it notes that sales and production of infant formula have increased this year, despite the shortages. What would make them feel secure in buying a product that, just ten years prior, had been tainted by food-safety issues at a manufacturing plant in China? Its also the latest example of how the US health systems failures consistently fall hardest on people with complex medical conditions and people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The shortages of the last few months cant be repeated. This is a company I will support forever, she says. These shortages are . US infant formula shortage: what you need to know - The Guardian Perspective: Why Do-It-Yourself Isnt a Fix for the Baby Formula Shortage. Deseret News, 10 May 2022, https://www.deseret.com/2022/5/9/23063977/perspective-whats-being-done-about-the-baby-formula-shortage-not-enough-breastfeeding-supply-chain. newsletter. Abbott tends to support politically conservative politicians and policies in contrast to the more left-leaning Reckitt, with whom White House officials have dramatically better relations, the people said. There are racial disparities, too. As the formula shortage continues to grip the US, many parents have been left struggling to access the product they rely on to feed their babies. Its a nightmare: baby formula shortage leaves US parents desperate, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Pediatrician Offers Tips as Baby Formula Shortage Sends Parents into Panic. WSLS, 9 May 2022, https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2022/05/09/pediatrician-offers-tips-as-baby-formula-shortage-sends-parents-into-panic/. State and federal laws have been enacted to encourage breastfeeding by requiring break time and accommodations for mothers of infants. That has effectively shut off the US from accessing the formula supply of its northern neighbor during the current crisis. Why is there a baby formula shortage in the US, and what can parents do While the foreign formula is supposed to be allowed into the United States only on a temporary basis, ending around Nov. 14, the F.D.A. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2022/04/11/1092129947/a-shortage-of-baby-formula-is-worsening-and-causing-some-stores-to-limit-sales. Accessed 10 May 2022. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets specific nutritional requirements, including minimum amounts of protein, fat, calcium and a number of vitamins. Health FDA announces plans to ease the shortage of baby formula Formula has been hard to find in some parts of the country since suspected contamination led to a recall and the shuttering of. Nationwide, about 40 percent of the most popular baby formula brands were out of stock as of April 24, according to the Wall Street Journal, much higher than the 10 percent average in normal times. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. According to CDC survey data, people living in poverty are most likely to report that theyve supplemented with formula in the first three months of their babys life. What's behind baby formula shortage, and when it could end - Spectrum News The FDA has been a vital partner in the Presidents goal of accelerating the availability of safe infant formula, but ultimately, it is going to be up to Abbott to end this shortage, the White House official added. Why is there a baby formula shortage? | Fortune The recall includes select lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas that were manufactured at an Abbott facility in Sturgis, Mich. More than six months after one of the largest infant formula manufacturing plants in the United States issued a recall and was then shut down because of contamination concerns, a newborn staple remains in short supply. It is people of color and people living in poverty, along with the people who must take special formulas for medical reasons, who will be most exposed to the health and economic consequences of a prolonged formula shortage. Officials acknowledge it will still take much of the summer, or longer, to fully restore supplies. Even those whod moved their kids to solid foods, Modi says, shared the news of Bobbies debut with their networks. As POLITICO reported, Biden recently exploded at aides for being kept out of the loop for months. Biden administration officials are still grappling with baby formula supply challenges across the country, eight months after a key formula plant shuttered and sparked . We are working hard to help moms, dads and caregivers get the high-quality nutrition they need for their babies. FDA reached out to the three other major formula companies to help ramp up production shortly after the Abbott recall, while the Agriculture Department worked to ease restrictions on the federal nutrition program known as WIC, to make it easier for low-income parents to use their benefits to buy formula. Baby Formula Shortage 2022: Tips From Pediatricians - What to Expect During natural disasters, when formula can become even more scarce, the CDC urges breastfeeding mothers who also use formula to consider breastfeeding more. Their growth rate is incredible. 'It's a nightmare': baby formula shortage leaves US parents desperate That's why we keep our work free. If something lights up in the moms community, it tends to light up really fast, because theres a lot of new moms talking about similar things, says Libby Rodney, a consumer trends and branding expert and the chief strategy officer at the Harris Poll. Among the states hit worst with baby formula supply shortages . Here's what we were able to find out. How could the market that provides sustenance to children across the country be vulnerable to such a massive disruption? Over the long term, tariffs and the different standards for labeling and inspections are probably the big things that prevent more companies from selling formula in the United States, Davis told me. Yes, there is currently a baby formula shortage. Abbott provides formula to about half of the babies receiving Wic benefits. Modi . The problems began last year as the Covid-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials economy-wide issues that did not spare the formula industry. Currently the US produces about 98% of formula domestically. It all depends on geography and the retailer, said Brian Dittmeier, the senior director of public policy at the National WIC Association, a nonprofit organization. CNN, Allie Malloy. An FDA spokesperson says the agency has been working closely with the White House, USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services on the infant formula response before and after the recall. Why is there a baby formula shortage? But its unclear if Republicans would support the spending measure. I write about women who run companies, countries and currencies. In the summer of 2022, the FDA allowed the importation of baby formula from non-agency-approved manufacturers when there was a serious shortage of formula in the U.S. Experts say this is the worst formula shortage in decades. The shortage can be traced back to a contamination problem at an Abbott factory that produces much of the Similac formula, as well as several other brands, for the US market, Abbott voluntarily shut down the factory in February, amid consumer complaints about contaminated formula that was linked to two infant deaths. Mead and the other manufacturers have not been able to make up the shortfall, even though they told Congress they knew as soon as Abbotts plant shut down that it would be a serious problem. Correction June 4, 2022. ByHeart, which was founded in 2016, acquired a new manufacturing plant for its formula in January. Sometimes an infant struggles with breastfeeding and needs formula to continue gaining weight.
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