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Last year, Abbott Nutrition's milk powder plant was located in Sturgis, Michigan. Sarah Rice |
The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the operations of Abbott Nutrition's infant formula plant in Michigan. The factory closed early last year due to hygiene problems, resulting in a widespread and long-term shortage of infant formula.
An Abbott spokeswoman said the company had confirmed the investigation via email, but did not provide further details other than that it was "fully cooperating."
The Food and Drug Administration in Sturgis, Michigan, has given him national attention in 2022. Meanwhile, there have been reports of infants becoming ill from the powdered milk produced there, and significant unsanitary conditions were found, including puddles on the floor near the production. line. In February, the FDA asked the company to recall Similac and other widely used infant formulas. the record shows. Abbott has voluntarily suspended production at its factories for several months.
Infant formula was already in some shortfall due to pandemic-related issues in the supply chain, but Abbott's recall exacerbated the situation. Stunned parents searched for hours to find the formula they needed to feed their infants. By May, President Biden had deployed military planes to fly baby formula to the United States.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported the investigation. The Justice Department declined to comment.
Her four infants in her three states of Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas have been infected with the dangerous Chronobacter her sakazakii since September 2021, killing two. I'm here. But FDA. Inspectors who swabbed near the production line at the Sturgis factory found samples of bacteria. On record, infant-related burdens were not directly related to institutions.
Lawmakers held hearings about the crisis and discussed his FDA fumblings over whistleblower complaints from Abbott insiders. fill that "number"
At a House hearing in May, FDA's Robert His Caliphate said: The commissioner admitted it was too late for the agency to deal with the supply chain crisis and was "making suboptimal decisions along the way."
He also described "shocking" and "terribly unsanitary" conditions, such as water leaking from the roof of the Sturgis factory and puddles near the production area.
FDA. Dr. Caliph called for a more radical overhaul of the FDA. The food division, announced last month, called for a new, more robust leadership structure.