Abbott Nutrition strikes deal with FDA to restart factory linked to baby formula shortage

Shelves across US now empty of essential product

The Abbott Nutrition plant linked to the shortage of baby formula has struck a deal to resume operations within two weeks, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott entrered a consent decree with the FDA on Monday, which if court-approved sets out the steps the company needs to carry out to resume production at the Michigan factory.

It is the largest US manufacturing plant for baby formula and has been closed since February after complaints of bacterial infection in four hospitalised infants, two of whom died.

Parents are now struggling to find baby formula across the country and the shelves are empty because of a combination of product recalls, supply chain issues and labour shortages.

The company has said there is no link to its products and could re-start its production within two weeks, but that it would take “six to eight weeks” for that product to his shelves.

“Our number one priority is getting infants and families the high-quality formulas they need, and this is a major step toward re-opening our Sturgis facility so we can ease the nationwide formula shortage,” said Robert B Ford, chairman and chief executive officer of Abbott.

“We know millions of parents and caregivers depend on us and we’re deeply sorry that our voluntary recall worsened the nationwide formula shortage.”

FDA chief Dr Robert Califf said on Monday that he did not expect the shortage to last until the ened of the year.

“We don’t expect it to last until the end of the year by any means. We’re taking a number of measures including getting all the manufacturers to step up,” he said.