More than a month after a major recall of infant formula, parents and caregivers say it’s even harder to find food for their baby.
York Haven, PA — Parents have recently been looking at it in the long run if they can find it before buying infant formula.
In February, Abbott recalled three popular powder formulas, including certain types of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare, regarding the potential for bacterial contamination.
The Federal Pharmacy says two babies died after consuming the product.
FOX43 finds out how recalls are affecting people in central Pennsylvania
Parents like Nathan Harrig in Cumberland County, who gave her daughter the prescription, say it was a really scary time.
“This product was being recalled for something that might have been really dangerous to her,” Harrig said. “It was very frustrating and worrisome that this was happening all the time and putting her at risk.”
Currently, the FDA states that Abbott was unable to maintain hygiene and procedures at its Michigan manufacturing plant.
In addition to the fear of hearing the baby’s only food supply, it can be dangerous. Now, parents like Harig continue to scramble to find new things to give to their babies.
“It was sudden,” he said. “It wasn’t something we could plan or phase out.”
Jennifer Anthony takes care of a set of twins in York County. They also used the recalled prescription.
“Because we participate in the WIC program, we can’t find it in any store, so we can only get cans of a certain size in a particular store,” she said.
According to the State Department of Health, Pennsylvania WIC has expanded its list of infant formulas to include additional formulas in the program, but products in a world where there were supply chain issues prior to the recall. It’s not easy to find.
Anthony said, “So you may not be able to breastfeed your next baby, not just your baby, but your parents can’t afford it or you can’t find it on a shelf somewhere. I’m just worried about my baby. “
Hospitals are also affected
FOX43 Finds Out contacted several health systems in central and southern Pennsylvania to see how they deal with recalls and what prescriptions they give new babies.
Welspan provided us with charts that offer well-known brands and alternatives.
Penn State Health states that it uses a variety of formula brands, but any recalled products will be discontinued immediately.
Other hospitals did not come back to us.
So far, at least Harig and Anthony have said they have no plans to revert to their original Abbott formula.
I still have a lot of things I don’t know about recalls
US Senator states that Abbott has not yet handed over all documents related to this issue.
People also want to know why the FDA didn’t act early on the recall, as the FDA visited the Abbott factory in late September, just around the time of the problem, and quoted some issues.
It seems that no formal complaint has been filed at this time.
Abbott’s reaction
FOX43 Finds Out contacted Abbott about their reaction to what happened after the recall. A spokeswoman sent us this response:
“We take this very seriously and are working closely with the FDA to implement corrective actions. Abbott is committed to maintaining the highest standards in the production of all nutritional products. We have already begun implementing corrective actions and enhancements at our facilities. Technology and process enhancements can give parents and customers new confidence in manufacturing quality when they resume operations at the Sturges plant. ..
Although there are actions to be taken to address the FDA’s observations, it is important to note that testing of products distributed to consumers did not detect Cronobacter sakazaki or salmonella. In addition, the unique genetic makeup of the Cronobacter Sakazaki microorganism found in the non-product contact area of the Sturges facility did not match the reported case of the Cronobacter Sakazaki microorganism. This follows the FDA’s exclusion of cases of Salmonella from the investigation earlier this month. “
Other options for infant formula
The Pennsylvania Health Department has a list of formula types that WIC participants can receive on behalf of recalled items, how to handle recalled formulas, and alternative formulas that can be purchased using an eWIC card. Information focused on recalling infant formula is available on the following PAWIC web page. English infant formula recall Information.pdf (pawic.com)
DOH also states that families concerned about recalls can also contact Abbott directly for questions or concerns at 1-800-986-8540 or by visiting similacrecall.com.
If you have a story you want Jackie De Tore to look up, FOX43 wants to find it. Send her a message on Facebook or send an email to FOX43FindsOut@FOX43.com.
Download the FOX43 app here.
