Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

The pandemic-related supply chain disruption along with a recall of powdered infant formulas produced in Michigan combined to create frustration and uncertainty in parents whose infant children rely on commercially-made formula. Earlier this year in February, Abbott announced a recall of three infant formulas produced in its Sturgis, Michigan facility after receiving reports of a bacterial infection in several babies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other state and local partners began investigating consumer complaints received between 9/20/2021 and 2/24/2022 about infants becoming ill after consuming powdered infant formula products produced by Abbot in Michigan. Abbott ceased production and agreed to take corrective action following an FDA inspection. The facility has recently resumed production but it will be two to four weeks before the formula will be on store shelves.

An analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that only three companies are responsible for nearly all infant formula production and sales in the U.S .: Abbott, Mead Johnson, and Gerber. Throw in a pandemic-induced labor shortage and the natural result is fewer cans of powdered infant formula on store shelves, both locally and nationally.

On May 18, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to address the nationwide formula shortage. The action is not about motivating mass production, but rather ensuring that ingredients necessary for infant formula production are prioritized for that purpose and directed to the manufacturers. Biden later launched Operation Fly Formula to authorize the use of Department of Defense (DOD)-contracted commercial aircraft to bring infant formula from overseas which meets U.S. health and safety standards. Shipments began arriving from Europe late in May.

Certain varieties of powdered baby formula made in Michigan were the subject of a product recall earlier this year, which contributed to a shortage of formula availability.

Locally, Zaman International is stepping up to address the need. A non-profit based in Inkster, Zaman's mission it to advance the lives of marginalized women and children and help break the cycle of poverty for its clients. Zaman International has partnered with The Family Doc Clinic and Urgent Care in Dearborn Heights to collect donations of infant formula to meet the needs of families in the community. Raya Hassan is Zaman's Director of Client Services and she says that this crisis is so large that they are attempting the meet the needs of anyone who asks, and not only the needs of their client base. "Right now what we're seeing is with the shortage there are multiple families, whether they're clients or not, that are in need. Although we do service the most vulnerable in our community, the babies and infants are even the most vulnerable of those households so we want to make sure we're doing as much as we can to help anyone in need at this time," she says. Hassan adds the first contact parents in need of baby formula should make is to call their family physician or pediatrician.

If you have access to unexpired infant formula you will not be using, you can donate by dropping it off at Zaman's main office located at 26091 Trowbridge in Inkster from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information on Zaman International go to http://www.zamaninternational.org or see their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/zamaninternational. Families in need of formula can call the Family Doc Clinic directly at 313-914-3666. For more information about the shortage, visit http://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html.