This formula shortage has a lot of moving pieces. More exclusive
breastfeeding would reduce the need and demand for infant formula. However,
there seems to be a trend of more formula supplementation in the hospital,
less prenatal education, a country without a national paid family leave
policy, a greater acceptance and support within social media of formula
use, lack of funding for breastfeeding promotion or anything else related
to breastfeeding. Many infants and children as well as adults rely on
specialty formulas. The Abbott plant that shut down makes most of this
formula. The bigger picture is a country where formula manufacturing is
consolidated into 4 main players with a few manufacturing plants instead of
diversifying the manufacturing and importation of more brands. When one has
a problem the whole system suffers. The federal regulations put a 17.5%
tariff on imported formulas, the FDA will not allow any foreign formulas
into the country unless they meet FDA guidelines which need to be revised,
the FDA is highly influenced by the formula lobby, and does not provide
enough monitoring and oversight such that Abbott was permitted to cover up
their problems and not be held accountable for shoddy manufacturing
practices until infants sickened and died. Abbott just spent $5 billion on
a stock buyback to inflate their stock price to please their shareholders
instead of using that money to fix the problems at the Sturgis, MI plant.
Is it any wonder we have a problem?

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