many parents living in the u.s. are facing a nightmare scenario right now: they can’t get enough formula to feed their babies.
late last year, several powdered formulas made in abbott nutrition’s facility in sturgis, michigan contained bacteria that led to infections in four babies, killing one. the formulas
were recalled in february
. at the time, about two to eight per cent of formula was out of stock.
but by late april, 40 per cent of baby formula was unavailable,
cnn reported this week
. in six states, more than half of the expected stock is totally sold out: texas, tennessee, missouri, iowa, south dakota, and north dakota.
families that rely on public benefits have been especially hard hit: abbott is the exclusive formula supplier for the
national wic association
, a nonprofit that provides food to women, infants and children in need.
“the unprecedented scope of this infant formula recall has serious consequences for babies and new parents,” brian dittmeier, the association’s senior director of public policy,
told the new york times
. “every day, we hear from parents who are hurt, angry, anxious and scared. the lives of their infants are on the line.”
canadian shoppers don’t have access to the recalled products either, although we aren’t seeing the same kinds of shortages affecting americans, sylvain charlebois, the director at the agri-food analytics lab at dalhousie university,
told ctv news
.