Shortage of powdered baby milk in the United States. In this photo taken on May 11, 2022 in Washington, empty shelves leave parents in disarray. (AFP/Stefani Reynolds)
« Terrifying », « frustrating ». It’s an unimaginable stressful situation for many American parents: the United States is experiencing a very rare shortage of baby milk. In question the supply problems accentuated by the closure of a factory of the manufacturer Abbott.
It’s been going on for months, says Sara Khan, mother of three children aged 10, 7 and 6 months.
« As soon as my baby was born, I noticed that there was a problem and he will be 7 months old next week, » she told AFP.
She then describes her obstacle course to find a few boxes of powdered milk, her distress in the face of the empty shelves of CVS and Walgreens pharmacies or Target supermarkets, whether in Washington or its surroundings.
She held on thanks to her friends and family, who mailed her boxes of milk whenever they found one, from Boston or New York.
« It’s absurd, » she continues, thinking back to when she even imported milk from Germany.
The situation really deteriorated when, on February 17, after the death of two babies, the manufacturer Abbott announced the « voluntary recall » in its Michigan factory of powdered milks, including Similac, used by millions of American families. .
The investigation cleared the affected milk but production has still not resumed, worsening the shortage already caused by supply chain problems and lack of manpower.
According to data provider Datasembly, the out-of-stock rate of infant milk formula reached 43% at the end of last week, up 10% from the April average.
– Few alternatives –
« It’s very frustrating because it’s not as if the problem had arisen overnight, » says Olivia Espinosa indignantly.
In San Diego, California, Olivia Espinosa and Steve Hohman are parents of two children, including Maya, three weeks old, who is lactose intolerant.
Half-empty baby milk shelves. Photo taken in a store in Washington, May 11, 2022 (AFP / Stefani Reynolds)
“We had little choice but to turn to plant-based milk,” for lack of an alternative, he says.
Usually, hospitals and pediatricians provide parents with many samples to find the best one for the baby.
But few are those who still have them in stock.
The dad stresses how frustrating it is that his daughter cannot try other milks that would probably be more nutritious.
This shortage « is extremely frustrating, especially when you have an infant who has very specific needs », continues his wife, who says she has difficulty breastfeeding and producing sufficient milk.
Even for children who do not have a particular sensitivity, it is difficult, continues Sara Khan.
– Political twist –
« It’s not that easy » to switch milk, she says. The baby should like the taste of the new milk and it should not cause other problems such as constipation.
And in addition to the supply problems, parents lament the costs while online sellers have doubled or even tripled their prices.
« We know that many consumers have not been able to access the infant formula and essential medical foods that they are accustomed to using, » said Robert Califf of the United States Drug Administration (FDA).
« We do everything in our power to ensure that there is a suitable product available where and when they need it, » he said.
On Wednesday, Abbott said he « deeply regrets the situation. » « Since the recall, we have been working to increase supply…including bringing in Similac from our site in Cootehill, Ireland, by air and producing more liquid Similac and Alimentum. » explained the group, which hopes to be able to gradually resume production in Michigan within two weeks subject to FDA clearance.
The case is now taking a political turn.
« I demand action from the FDA (led by the Biden administration) to address this crisis, » Republican Elise Stefanik tweeted.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called the shortages « scandalous and unacceptable ». On Twitter, he urged Joe Biden to « grasp the situation quickly ».
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki assured CNN on Monday that the Biden administration was working « day and night » to find solutions.
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