Abbott pauses baby formula production in Michigan after severe storms
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[June 16, 2022]
(Reuters) -Abbott Laboratories said
late Wednesday it has stopped production of its EleCare specialty
formula after severe storms and heavy rains in southwestern Michigan
flooded areas of its plant in Sturgis.
The company, which has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), said the incident will likely delay production and distribution
of the infant formula for a few weeks.
The temporary closure of the plant comes a week after Abbott reopened
its Sturgis plant to alleviate an acute nationwide shortage of baby
formula that sent parents scrambling for supplies.
The plant shutdown and Abbott's recall of infant formula products in
February deepened the supply shortage in the United States, with global
companies like Neocate maker Danone SA bringing baby formula products
into the U.S.
The company began a recall after reports of bacterial infections in
children who had consumed the formula made at the plant.
But Abbott, the biggest U.S. supplier of powder infant formula,
including Similac, said it has enough existing supply of the baby
formula until new products are available.
"Abbott has ample existing supply of EleCare and most of its specialty
and metabolic formulas to meet needs for these products until new
product is available," it said in a statement https://abbo.tt/3NYJb5c.
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The Abbott Laboratories facility where dozens of recalled types of
powdered baby formulas were made leading to production being halted
at the location in Sturgis, Michigan, U.S., May 20, 2022. Picture
taken with a drone. REUTERS/Eric Cox/File Photo
 In a series of tweets on Wednesday
night, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said Abbott and other
producers continue to make formula at "higher-than-average rates".
"This means that the total amount of formula
available, even before the Sturgis plant is back in production,
exceeds the demand for formula prior to the recall," Califf tweeted.

Abbott said it will resume production of EleCare once the plant is
re-sanitized and added that it will work to restart production of
Similac "as soon as possible".
FDA's Califf said once Abbott establishes a plan, the agency will be
back in the facility to ensure the company can restart quickly.
(Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by
Shailesh Kuber)
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