DeLauro Statement on One Year Anniversary of Abbott Infant Formula Recall

Today,Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement on the one-year anniversary of Abbott Laboratories recall of contaminated infant formula that was responsible for making several babies sick, and in some cases, resulting in their death.

“One year after the recall of a contaminated product – which was allowed into our market because of the falsification of records, lax food safety practices, and cut corners – the infant formula shortage is still very real for families across America. While some progress has been made, it is difficult to say whether we have taken the necessary steps to ensure a similar crisis does not happen again in the future. However, that does not mean I will give up or stop fighting on behalf of families, and our children and babies, to ensure that infant formula meets the highest standard of safety.

“Since the February 2022 recall of Abbott formula, we have seen credible reports that the plant in Sturgis, MI instituted shoddy practices that generated the shortage. What is far more disappointing is Abbott and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) lackadaisical response, as they dragged their feet to investigate credible allegations of substandard food safety practices at the Sturgis plant. I am glad that the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General accepted my request to launch an investigation into what went wrong at Abbott.

“I am also pleased that the Department of Justice is criminally investigating Abbott, as I have demanded accountability from the start.  As I have said previously, I reserve judgment for now. Abbott must fully cooperate with the governments’ investigations so we can get to the bottom of what went wrong, prevent this from happening again, and hold those responsible for this crisis accountable.

“I remain committed to ensuring that the infant formula that goes to market is safe for our babies to consume. I will reintroduce the Keep Infant Formula Safe and on the Shelves Act to improve FDA inspection quality and frequency and ensure our products are safe. I will also introduce legislation to strengthen market competition and give smaller manufacturers a leg up in the market.

“I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening again. Access to safe infant formula is vital for far too many families.”