First baby formula shipment arrives in U.S. from Europe

WASHINGTON, Might 22 (Reuters) - A navy cargo aircraft carrying the first shipment of infant system from Europe to assist tackle a critical scarcity in the USA landed in Indianapolis on Sunday, and the White House mentioned a second flight had been organized.

A Feb. 17 recall by prime baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and the closing of its manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan throughout an investigation by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration has created one of the greatest infant formula shortages in latest history for U.S. households.

"This is an important step, however it is on no account the only step that should happen. We will proceed to work because the president has instructed us to search for every opportunity to increase provide," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the airplane on its arrival.

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"This particular method is for a very, very small percentage of children. Roughly 17,000 kids within the nation mainly are the beneficiaries of this specific method," he said.

President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to stock empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle (NESN.S) specialty toddler formulas. Biden final week invoked the Chilly Warfare-era Protection Production Act to assist improve supplies.

The White House mentioned on Sunday a second flight carrying method would go away from Ramstein Air Base in Germany in coming days. The White House said that Abbott and a second child components maker, Reckitt , have been the first corporations given precedence status for raw provides underneath the Protection Production Act.

Pallets of infant formulation being shipped from Europe to america throughout Operation Fly Method are seen in a transport aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in a photograph released Might 22, 2022. The White Home/Handout through REUTERS

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Nestle additionally stated more shipments would arrive within the coming days. read more

Troops used forklifts to unload containers of the cargo from the airplane in Indianapolis and onto trucks heading to distribution centers.The White Home said 78,000 pounds (35,000 kg) of specialty infant method - sufficient for 500,000 bottles - had arrived on the flight.

Abbott, the most important U.S. supplier of powder infant formulation, closed its Michigan plant following experiences of bacterial infections in four infants, worsening a shortage among multiple manufacturers that started with supply-chain issues tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott Chief Govt Robert Ford apologized for the shortage on Sunday and promised to fix it, including the plant would reopen within the first week of June, and it would take six to eight weeks for products to reach store cabinets.

"We're sorry to each household we've let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation’s child components scarcity," he wrote in a Washington Submit column.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday declared a state of emergency to prevent price gouging of child formula.

"This emergency govt order will assist us to crack down on any retailer trying to capitalize on this disaster by jacking up prices on this essential good," Adams mentioned in an announcement.

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Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Chris Gallagher, extra reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in Davos, Switzerland, Barbara Goldberg in New York and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Enhancing by Ross Colvin, Invoice Berkrot, Chris Reese and Paul Simao

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