In February of this year, the medical device and consumer product manufacturing company Abbot Laboratories issued a voluntary recall after the FDA advised parents to stop feeding their young children certain brands of the company’s powdered baby formulas. According to a recent report by CNN, the affected brands initially included Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare. However, a few weeks later, the company then added Similac 60/40 to the list of recalled baby formulas.
The reason why the FDA issued the warning to parents earlier this year stems from several reports that young infants who consumed these products got very sick. In fact, there are at least two cases where babies died after consuming Abbott Labs baby formulas. Both of the babies died after developing an unusual infection resulting from exposure to the Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria.
What Is Cronobacter sakazakii?
Cronobacter sakazakii is a dangerous bacteria that can cause healthy adults to suffer from excruciating stomach pains and diarrhea. However, when a young infant is exposed to Cronobacter sakazakii, it can be fatal or lead to long-term health risks.
There are also reports that the Abbott Labs’ baby formulas contained Salmonella Newport. While exposure to Salmonella Newport is less serious than Cronobacter sakazakii, it can still cause serious injuries to an infant due to the risk of dehydration.
Adding to the concerns is the fact that there are reports that Abbott Nutrition, the division of Abbott Labs which is responsible for manufacturing and selling these formulas, knew that some of its baby formula products contained these harmful bacteria as early as September 2021. Of course, news of the Abbott Labs baby formula recall is still fresh, and an investigation is ongoing. However, the facts presented thus far certainly raise legitimate concerns about whether the company knew its products were dangerous well before it implemented the recall. In fact, Abbott Nutrition only issued the recall after the FDA advised parents not to buy the affected formulas.
Parents who purchased Similac, Alimentum, EleCare or Similac 60/40 baby formula should be sure not to feed it to their children. If you have already given your child some of the affected formula, consult with a healthcare provider about the best course of action. Parents whose children became ill as a result of these formulas may be eligible for financial compensation through a bad baby food lawsuit.
Did Your Child Suffer as a Result of Bab Baby Formula?
If you have a child who got sick after consuming Similac, Alimentum, EleCare or Similac 60/40 baby formulas manufactured by Abbott Labs, reach out to the dedicated Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen for immediate assistance. Our attorneys are standing by, ready to help answer your questions and go over your options. If you decide to pursue a baby formula lawsuit, we will handle your case at no upfront cost to you, and will only get paid if we can connect your family with financial compensation. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation today, call 800-654-1949. You can also reach us through our online contact form.