Why is baby milk in short supply in America? Concern grows among families

In USA there is shortage from formula milk for babies since three months. Fear has taken over familieswho have flocked to the supermarkets to be done with provisions. What has been a reflex (and compulsive) act to have a product from First need, has further aggravated the situation: there is now a shortage a Nacional level that requires establishments to ration the product. In addition, they take advantage of the problem and have increased the prices.

Only one in four mothers breastfeed exclusively to their children until six months, according to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the North American country. Hence the panic over the lack: the vast majority of mothers, parents Y caregivers are partially or totally dependents of powdered milk.

The reason for the shortage has to do with the main manufacturer of formula for infants in the country, Abbott Laboratories. In February he had to withdraw the products of the brands similac, Alimentum Y EleCare of the linear after receiving five complaints for bacterial infectionswhich are also related to the death of two babies. As if that were not enough, the complaints affirm that the pharmaceutical company is recidivist: different batches of products already caused health problems in summer 2019 and 2020.

Infections are caused by microbe ‘cronobacter sakazakii’which can seriously contaminate the blood (sepsis), as well as cause meningitis the early death of the babies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forced the company to cease its production and opened an investigation.

Since then, the company distributes only the products it manufactures in Ireland. For this reason, the ‘stands’ are empty and the supermarkets limit the sale to three or four units when they receive them.

Green light, but Abbott will take “weeks” to fill shelves

Independent investigations continue, but the internal reports Abbott’s concluded that it was “unlikely” that children’s products manufactured at their Sturgisin the state of Michiganwere the source of the infections. Thus, the pharmaceutical company and the sanitary regulator They arrived on Monday at a agreement to reopen factories. Specifically, the FDA provided Abbott with a document of 33 pages with the steps to follow.

Despite this green light, the multinational has warned that it will take “weeks” to redistribute the milk powder. Company sources have indicated to several US media that it could restart production “within two weeks.” “Although it will be between six and eight before the products are on sale again,” they specify. These statements have only increased the fear of families, especially those in the state of New Yorkwhere there is more scarcity.

In this sense, the state governor, Kathy Hochulit has been guaranteed that all newborns and children will have “access to nutritional support what they need to stay healthy“. However, he has not said how these aids will be translated.

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The White House It has also reacted to the shortage, which it has cataloged as “without precedents“. President, Joe Biden, has required the rest of the national powdered milk manufacturers to increase their production. Specifically, the president has talked with the companies Reckitt Benckiser Y Nestle.

The first has already announced a 30% increase in the manufacture of its brand mead johnson. The second has done the same with its brand Gerber: Shipment of formula milk supplies from your facility has increased in Swiss Y Netherlands.