White House announces new measures to address baby formula shortage

After a meeting with a group of baby formula industry leaders late on Thursday, the White House announced new measures on Friday to address the national shortage.

The measures include possibly invoking the Defense Production Act, which would expedite and expand the supply of formula, and pressing the private sector to do everything it can to get formula into the hands of American families who need it. The White House will also look at expanding options to import baby formula from abroad.

Currently, most of the formula being consumed by American babies is made domestically, and US trade policy under the Trump-era USMCA actively discourages importing formula from Canada, the US’ biggest trading partner.

Because the US formula market is so isolated, the discovery of bacteria that shut down a Michigan formula plant and caused a massive recall earlier this year was enough to snarl the formula industry, which was already struggling due to the pandemic.

According to Reuters, Abbott, one of the largest formula manufacturers in the country, may resume manufacturing formula at the newly-sterilized Sturgis, Michigan plant involved in the bacterial infections of at least two babies. The resumption of production would be dependent on approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

As parents of infants battle to find the formula they need to feed their babies, concerns of hoarding and price gouging are also being addressed by the White House. The Federal Trade Commission has been instructed to report any instances of price gouging formula amid the shortage.

“What we are seeing, which is an enormous problem, is hoarding,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. “That is also something we’re focused on.”

The FDA issued a statement earlier this week addressing the shortage, saying, “We recognize that many consumers have been unable to access infant formula and critical medical foods they are accustomed to using and are frustrated by their inability to do so,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement earlier this week. “We are doing everything in our power to ensure there is adequate product available where and when they need it.”