July 14, 2022: ‘The U.S. FDA announced the availability of educational resources for parents and caregivers with questions about using the hundreds of millions of bottles worth of imported infant formula headed to the U.S.
“Parents and caregivers should have confidence that our collective work with federal partners, manufacturers and retailers means more infant formula that is safe and nutritious, including product coming in from other countries, is on shelves nationwide.
The information and resources the agency is providing should help parents and caregivers find and understand how to use these safe, nutritious infant formula products that are comparable to those they’ve traditionally seen on store shelves,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D.
“Importantly, a combination of increased domestic production and infant formula being imported is steadily improving what parents and caregivers are seeing on the shelves.
We will continue our around-the-clock efforts to make sure that parents and caregivers have access to safe and nutritious infant formula where and when they need it.”
Flexibilities Have Resulted in More Than 520 Million Bottles Worth of Infant Formula Coming to the U.S.
Increased flexibilities regarding infant formula products announced by the FDA on May 16 have resulted in the infant formula products from nine countries, with a total estimated quantity of 23 million cans, or 35 million pounds or more than 520 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles, headed to the U.S.
These flexibilities have been successful in helping to bring safe and nutritionally adequate infant formula products into the U.S. marketplace on a temporary basis to address the formula shortage.
Additionally, the FDA recently announced that it is developing a new framework for continued, long-term and expanded access to infant formula options for U.S. parents and caregivers beyond the current temporary flexibilities.
These products have already started to hit the U.S. market and more will appear in stores over the coming weeks and months.
The FDA is creating “Names to Know” graphics featuring the label pictures and details about imported formulas to help parents and caregivers recognize these products as they hit store shelves.
An accompanying infographic featuring the amounts of imported formula is also available.”
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-provides-educational-resources-parents-and-caregivers-support-confidence-imported-infant-formula
