FDA and Abbott reach agreement to reopen baby formula plant

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published 16 May 2022

The Food and Drug Administration reached an agreement with Abbott Laboratories on Monday to restart production of baby formula at the company's plant in Sturgis, Michigan.

This is Abbott's largest domestic factory, and it closed in February after bacterial infections were reported in four babies who consumed formula made at the plant; two of the babies died. As part of the agreement — which still needs to be reviewed by a federal judge — outside experts will work with Abbott to upgrade standards and reduce bacterial contamination at the plant, The Associated Press reports.

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There are four companies that make about 90 percent of U.S. formula, and to alleviate the national shortage, the FDA will soon announce steps being taken to get more foreign imports into the country. Baby formulas produced in Canada and Europe are very similar to those made in the U.S., pediatricians say, and FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told ABC News it's important to ensure the formula comes with instructions people in the U.S. can understand.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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