Biden invokes Defense Production Act for formula shortage

[AZProgressive]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country’s largest formula manufacturing plant.

The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”

Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.

The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation’s largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP

[pnwmom]

1. FINALLY! I'm so happy to hear this. n/t

[larwdem]

2. good

now do oil company's

[forgotmylogin]

3. Can someone explain "formula"?

I know it's a substitute for breast milk; is formula required specifically for health/safety/nutrition reasons as opposed to milk possibly supplemented with protein (like Ensure)? Is that just not safe for babies?

[IronLionZion]

6. It's a delicate balance of nutrient proportions

https://www.newsweek.com/baby-formula-shortage-expert-warns-homemade-recipes-real-risk-1705264

She told Newsweek: "Infant formula is a controlled food created to meet the specific nutritional needs of babies. Trying to get the right balance of all those nutrients at home would be impossible.

"Too much protein could affect a baby's kidneys or too little calcium and vitamin D will affect their bones, for example.

"I'd be really concerned about the level of different salts that could be present, or lacking, meaning that babies could become dehydrated quickly."

Among other safety concerns like bacteria or pathogens.

The people claiming they used homemade formula many years ago forget how many babies died back then for many unknown reasons.

[forgotmylogin]

11. Thanks! That totally makes sense.

I figured it was something like this, and if formula was something people could whip up easily it wouldn't be a problem nor a billion-dollar industry.

[sybylla]

12. I agree with your comments on homemade formula. Some of today's formulas have

digestion aids, too, to help with the proteins and sugars for babies who may be sensitive to them. There are also restrictions to be met if they want to label formula Halal or Kosher.

Baby formula is basically a pharmaceutical in the eyes of the FDA, which is why it's pretty sickening that Abbott was allowed to get away with shoddy manufacturing for so long. I applaud the move for more inspectors and a more rigorous inspection process both of the imports and US plants, even at the plants that have been doing the right things.

We've seen what happens when a company gets it wrong or puts shareholders ahead of consumers.

I am completely disgusted by the GQP Know Nothings on social media who don't like the FDA and think they are just a waste of money. They have no clue how corrupt and sometimes dangerous our foodstuffs were before the FDA.

[luvtheGWN]

4. Canada has a surplus of baby formula

but thanks to the new Nafta negotiated by TFG, Biden has to go "overseas". I sure wish the media would talk about this.

[IronLionZion]

7. Canadian formula is probably perfectly safe

Biden should allow emergency use or something until they fix the trade agreement for long term.

[luvtheGWN]

9. Why the "probably safe" remark?

There have been no instances of infant deaths due to formula in Canada. The largest purveyor of formula is, I believe, Nestle in Canada.

[IronLionZion]

10. That's what you want to focus on from my post?

instead of emergency use and fixing the trade agreement?

[BrightKnight]

13. Something is very wrong if you can't get formula from Canada.

[IronLionZion]

14. It's leftover from Trump's America First strategy

I hope it doesn't take too long for Biden to fix it. They are shipping cargo planes full of formula from overseas to the US and several other measures in progress.

[Botany]

5. It is so nice to have grown ups back in charge.

It is so nice to have grown ups back in charge.

Link to tweet

[truthisfreedom]

8. "Operation Fly Formula"

I wouldn’t have approved that name.