Milk Formula Recall Has Parents Angry at Abbott Nutrition and FDA for Delayed Action

Parents took to social media to express their anger at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the delayed milk formula recall of Abbott Nutrition that caused several infants to get sick.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially reported five hospitalizations and two deaths due to milk formula contamination. However, many unconfirmed yet detailed and heartbreaking reports of babies hospitalized due to Salmonella and other bacterial infections after drinking the now-recalled formula are posted on social media. Parents posted their stories on Tiktok and Instagram with hashtags #similac #screwyou. Other families also resorted to filing cases against the company, Politico reported.

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The story of Arya and other babies

Several families are reporting other cases that the CDC did not officially recognize. Baby Arya, for instance, was four months old when she was showing signs of lactose intolerance. She was prescribed with EleCare since the product is hypoallergenic. 

Deborah Rossick, a mother of two in Lakeland, Florida, said that baby Arya started getting sick in August. She consulted doctors and tried to figure out what was wrong. Months later, the baby was diagnosed with Salmonella. After weeks of being in and out of the hospital, Arya got worse and ended up having meningitis. The type of disease caused by Salmonella. 

The mother said that the baby started having seizures, stopped breathing, had a stroke, and was eventually intubated. Arya was in a coma for nine days. The doctors told her that she might not be able to make it. However, Arya woke up but had severe neurological damage, leaving her blind and deaf.

When Rossick heard about the recall, she was appalled. She is now planning to file a legal suit to cover all of Arya's medical expenses and the extensive care that Arya would require over her lifetime.

Senators, parents demand an explanation from FDA 

Parents, lawmakers, and advocates demand answers from the FDA on why it took the agency months to take action after knowing that the infant formula was linked to five hospitalizations and two deaths.

A report from Politico said that FDA, CDC, and Abbott knew about the Cronobacter sakazakii, a rare bacteria, in September 2021. However, the FDA sent inspectors to investigate the plant that produced the formula early this year. The recall came three weeks after. The timeline raised questions about the timeliness of the government's response and if quicker action could have prevented more illnesses and deaths.

The FDA was repeatedly asked to explain the months-long lag between reported illnesses, the inspection, and the recall of the products from the market. However, the agency has declined to do so.

In a statement issued by FDA, the agency admitted that there had been questions about its timeline. It said that the timeline remains an "open inspection" with many moving parts. The agency's priority is to ensure that the facility's recalled product is taken off the market. It also said that they would answer interviews after completing the investigation.

Sen. Patty Murray of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, wrote to Abbott Nutrition and demanded documents and other information on March 10. The House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro also called the Health and Human Services office to investigate FDA's actions that led to the massive recall.

Meanwhile, parents across various states who bought the recalled infant formula are now filing class-action lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories.

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