To alleviate the infant formula shortfall, the FDA is “working around the clock.”

The US Food and Drug Administration is “working around the clock” to address the infant formula shortfall, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. Manufacturers say they’re manufacturing at full capacity and creating as much formula as they can, but it’s still not enough to satisfy current demand.

“The FDA ordered a recall to guarantee that they are meeting their responsibility to protect the health of Americans, especially newborns who were getting or consuming this formula. That is their responsibility “Psaki said.
“The FDA is also focused on ensuring availability, and they’re working around the clock to solve any potential shortage,” she added.

According to Psaki, the FDA is taking “a number of steps” to address the problem, including working with major infant formula manufacturers to ensure that production is increased, as well as working with the industry to optimize supply lines, product sizes, and prioritize product lines that are most needed.

“The FDA’s role, in their perspective, is not just to guarantee that we’re meeting our commitments to safeguard Americans, but it’s also to ensure that supply can be met when they take these actions,” Psaki said.

When asked if she believed there was a national stockpile of infant formula, Psaki responded no.

Stores around the country have been battling to have adequate infant formula on hand for months. Manufacturers claim they are operating at full capacity and creating as much formula as they can, but it is still insufficient to fulfill current demand. In the first half of 2021, the out-of-stock rate for infant formula was between 2% and 8%, but it began to rise dramatically in July. According to Datasembly, the out-of-stock rate increased to 31% between November 2021 and early April 2022.

According to the data, that rate jumped by 9 percentage points in just three weeks in April and currently stands at 40%. During the week beginning April 24, more than half of infant formula was totally sold out in six states: Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Texas, and Tennessee, according to Datasembly.

The FDA’s closure of an Abbott Nutrition factory in Sturgis, Michigan, has aggravated the shortfall. Abbott is a leading manufacturer of infant formula. The FDA recalled three types of the company’s powdered infant formulae in February owing to the risk of bacterial illnesses, including Salmonella. Parents should avoid buying or using specific batches of Abbott’s Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered newborn formulas.