Abbott Laboratories stated Friday it’s restarting production of its Similac baby formula and expects to start shipments to retail shops in about six weeks.
The Sturgis, Michigan, facility at the middle of the bacterial contamination issues had already restarted production earlier this summer time of EleCare and different specialty formulation, however not Similac.
“We know that the nationwide infant formula shortage has been difficult for the families we serve, and while restarting Similac production in Michigan is an important milestone, we won’t rest until this product is back on shelves,” Abbott Chairman and CEO Robert B. Ford stated in a press release Friday.
The manufacturing facility shutdown in February adopted a voluntary recall of formula underneath a Food and Drug Administration advisement urging customers not to use particular batches of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare made at the Sturgis plant.
The voluntary recall and shutdown resulted in a nationwide formula scarcity that left households scrambling. The scarcity got here amid a pandemic provide chain disruption that slowed the circulation of items to retailers.
President Joe Biden’s administration responded to the formula scarcity by invoking the Defense Production Act to prioritize its manufacture, and by utilizing navy plane to ship baby formula from overseas.
Makers turned to vegetation exterior the United States — Abbott used amenities in Spain and Ireland — with assist from relaxed federal enforcement relating to such importation.
Some critics have partly blamed the nation’s important reliance on just a few producers for such a essential staple.
Abbott expects it’ll have put 8 million kilos of formula on U.S. retail cabinets in August, the corporate stated in a press release. As production continues, Abbott cautioned there have been and may very well be extra momentary stoppages to tackle substandard batches and different points.
Abbott has stated there was no proof linking its merchandise to the deaths of two infants and reviews of sickness amongst two different youngsters that prompted the recall.
But the corporate has vowed to eradicate the bacterium at its Sturgis facility and enhanced the plant with a deal with stopping such a chronic shutdown from occurring once more.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for Cronobacter or any pathogen in our plants,” Abbott stated.
Cristian Santana contributed.