FDA reports on baby formula shortage

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a report Wednesday that said its investigation into Abbott Nutrition was hampered by delays in processing a whistleblower complaint and test results. A whistleblower told the FDA last September that the formula from the nation’s biggest manufacturing plant was contaminated. But the agency didn’t investigate until months later and shut down the plant in February, causing a formula shortage from which the nation is still trying to recover. The report said the FDA needed a structure for whistleblower complaints.

Who wrote the report? Dr. Steven Solomon oversaw the internal agency review. He has been director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine for the past six years and worked in the Office of Regulatory Affairs—which oversees inspections—for 23 years. He interviewed agency officials and found that the FDA needs more modern information technology and better staffing, training, and equipment.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ report in WORLD magazine on how the formula shortage affected pro-life pregnancy centers.