Duval Times

In a letter addressed to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, Senator Rick Scott expressed his concerns regarding the urgent shortage of baby formula that has been affecting mothers and families. The letter comes after the FDA and Reckitt Benckiser's Mead Johnson Nutrition announced a voluntary recall of their hypoallergenic baby formula due to potential contamination with Salmonella Newport.

The recall, which affects over 675,000 cans of baby formula under the Enfamil and Nutramigen brands, has raised concerns about the availability of safe and nutritious formula for infants. Senator Scott is demanding answers and accountability from the FDA, particularly regarding the return of the affected factories to safe operations in order to mitigate the ongoing shortage.

This is not the first time Senator Scott has raised concerns about formula recalls due to Salmonella contamination. In a previous letter to Commissioner Califf, he urged the FDA to take immediate action to address the supply crisis and ensure the availability of infant formula.

In his latest letter, Senator Scott highlights the importance of baby formula in providing critical nutrition to children and families. He poses a series of questions to the FDA, seeking information on their efforts to address the shortage and ensure the safe operation of the contaminated facility. Some of the questions include:

- What is the FDA doing to help get the contaminated facility operating safely and fully back online?

- When does the FDA estimate that the contaminated facility will be running again and when will infant formula supply return to normal levels?

- How long did it take for the FDA to determine a course of action after it first learned of the bacterial contamination?

- What is the FDA doing to work with other infant formula companies to increase the amount of hypoallergenic formula available in the U.S. marketplace?

- What other countries would be affected by this recall? What is the FDA doing to assist those countries impacted by the recall of the contaminated infant formula?

- Has the FDA established an Incident Management Group to address this shortage?

It is Senator Scott's hope that the FDA will respond promptly to his letter and take swift and decisive action to address the growing supply shortage of baby formula. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the youngest and most vulnerable members of society have access to the nutrition they need.

As the shortage of baby formula persists, it is crucial for the FDA to address the concerns raised by Senator Scott and take the necessary steps to mitigate the impact of the recall. The well-being of children and families across the country depends on the FDA's ability to effectively manage this situation and ensure the availability of safe and reliable infant formula.

To find out more, go to this link: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2024/1/sen-rick-scott-writes-to-fda-reiterating-concerns-for-baby-formula-shortage-urging-accountability