Medical experts with Texas Children’s Hospital will provide parents with useful information about the baby formula shortage Wednesday.
A news conference will be held at 11 a.m. KPRC 2 is carrying a livestream of the event.
Dr. Stan Spinner, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care, and Dr. Amy Hair, Neonatologist and Program Director for Neonatal Nutrition, are expected to speak at the event.
A question and answer session will also take place after the speakers present.
Many parents have been hunting for infant formula because of a combination of short- and long-term problems that has hit most of the biggest U.S. brands, the Associated Press said.
Ongoing supply disruptions have combined with a recent safety recall to leave many pharmacy and supermarket shelves bare.
The problems began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials — economy-wide issues that didn’t spare the formula industry. Inventory was further squeezed by parents stockpiling during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Then in February, Abbott Nutrition recalled several major brands of powdered formula and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials began investigating four babies who suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility.
Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market.
RELATED CONTENT
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Continue reading...
A news conference will be held at 11 a.m. KPRC 2 is carrying a livestream of the event.
Dr. Stan Spinner, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care, and Dr. Amy Hair, Neonatologist and Program Director for Neonatal Nutrition, are expected to speak at the event.
A question and answer session will also take place after the speakers present.
Many parents have been hunting for infant formula because of a combination of short- and long-term problems that has hit most of the biggest U.S. brands, the Associated Press said.
Ongoing supply disruptions have combined with a recent safety recall to leave many pharmacy and supermarket shelves bare.
The problems began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials — economy-wide issues that didn’t spare the formula industry. Inventory was further squeezed by parents stockpiling during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Then in February, Abbott Nutrition recalled several major brands of powdered formula and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials began investigating four babies who suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility.
Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market.
RELATED CONTENT
- Houston mom creates crowdsourcing map to help parents find baby formula amid shortage. Here’s how it works
- EXPLAINER: What we know about shuttered baby formula plant
- US allows more baby formula imports to fight shortage
- FDA to investigate delay in baby formula plant inspection, commissioner says
- Baby formula shortage: This is how Houstonians and Texans can get help
- Houston pediatric dietitian answers questions about baby formula shortage
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Continue reading...