The White House struggles to find answers about infant formula shortages

US grocery store shelves had less baby formula last week than the week before, according to a new report from Datasembly, a real-time data tracking agency that measures the amount of available product.

The report, released on Tuesday, showed that the rate of stock-outs of infant formula in the United States was at 43% for the week ending May 8. It was at 40% over the previous week. By way of comparison, in the first half of 2021, when formula supply was considered stable, the out-of-stock rate was between 2% and 8%. But the rate has been steadily increasing since then. Additional data from the agency found that more than 50% of the formula is not available in eight states and in the District of Columbia. For the previous week, only six states had this level of deficiency.

The administration’s latest steps to address the shortage include urging states to allow government food aid recipients more flexibility in the types of infant formula they can buy, and calling on the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to crack down on price gouging by manufacturers and importing more formula from abroad.

The announcement came after Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers — including the CEOs of Walmart, Target, Reckitt and Gerber — to discuss the ongoing crisis.

Specifically, Psaki said, Biden discussed how Reckitt and Gerber ramped up production amid a formula recall by Abbott Nutrition. The conversation with Walmart and Target focused on their work to stock formula shelves, including in rural areas. She also said the new steps come after continuous work for “weeks and months now”.

Psaki, who raised questions about the shortage during Thursday’s briefing, stressed that using the Defense Production Act — which allows the government more control during emergencies to direct industrial production — remains on the table. But although she said the administration’s current efforts have had “success” in increasing production in the last week, Psaki and other Biden officials declined to speculate when store shelves will return to normal.

And while the FDA said in a statement to CNN that its round-the-clock work with manufacturers should increase supply, the agency did not provide details about the timing of the increase.

Abbott said it is working to improve its systems and protocols at the facility and that it is also making plant upgrades.

In a call with reporters, a senior US administration official said the Food and Drug Administration will announce “very soon” how the United States will be able to import more of the formula from abroad but declined to provide further details.

Previously, the FDA announced other steps to address the shortage, which included working closely with industry to maximize production capacities, speeding up FDA reviews, expanding business hours for manufacturers, and inviting retailer groups to consider placing purchase limits on some Products to prevent hoarding. .

On Thursday, the FDA told CNN that the agency is “doing everything it can” to make sure there is enough formula available to people who need it, adding that they realize “many consumers have been unable to obtain infant formula and essential foods that need to be treated.” They used to use it and get frustrated at not being able to do it.”

Most manufacturers are producing in normal or even expanded capacity, the FDA said, adding, “It is important that the FDA continues its work to ensure that Abbott can safely resume infant formula production at the Sturgis, Michigan facility in Abbott Nutrition, to further dilute.” Presentation challenges, which remain an important focus.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday expressed the urgent need to address the situation.

Pelosi said the issue needed to be addressed by Congress “for now.”

“Right now, the baby is crying, the baby is hungry — we need to address it now,” Pelosi said. “And I think we have a good focus on that. We’ll see what the president says. We have our proposals as well.”

Pelosi said House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro is taking the lead on the issue in the House.

McConnell issued a statement criticizing the administration for its handling of the formula shortage, saying, “This problem has been slowly developing for several months, but the Biden administration has been characteristically slow and stalled in response.”

“The FDA learned about the initial recall,” McConnell continued. “The agency should have expected a shortage of supplies.” “But the Biden administration has been very slow and passive about getting production up and running. Republican and Democratic senators demanded the administration answers and got none.”

This story has been updated with additional developments.