More than a thousand lawsuits stemming from sickness following the use of specialized formula for premature babies could lead to manufacturers dropping production, medical experts and lawmakers warn.
Two leading manufacturers of infant formula, Abbott and Mead Johnson, face the onslaught of litigation from the parents of premature babies claiming their infants were harmed or killed by necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC, after consuming Similac and Enfamil formulas developed specifically for babies born prematurely.
The costly suits have led manufacturers to consider ending production of the specialized formula, warned industry leaders and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“The AAP is concerned that lawsuits against specialty formula makers threaten the availability of formulas that provide important nutrition for preterm infants,” the group said in an October statement.
A Republican House lawmaker, Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, has introduced legislation that would temporarily shield manufacturers of preterm infant formula while the FDA reviews