By Betsy Klein and Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
The White House is working with major brands to help provide logistical help during the infant formula shortage, a White House official said Monday.
“The White House is in ongoing discussions with the four major infant formula brands (Rekitt, Abbott, Nestlé/Gerber and Perrigo) to work with them to identify barriers to transportation, logistics and suppliers to developing formula production in the United States and FDA-approved facilities to increase the amount and speed of FDA-approved preparation shipped to the country, and that the formula be temporarily moved to stores from factories,” the White House official said.
CNN reported earlier Monday that the Biden administration is facing an avalanche of questions and complaints related to the national formula shortage that has worried and parents jumping from store to store in search of baby food. The administration proposed a new website, HHS. gov/formula, to provide resources to families in need, but when a CNN reporter tried some of those options, the training resulted in the excuse of visitor service representatives, a wait time that lasted more than an hour, and difficult and serious situations to locate the formula through some of the more sensible advice indexed on the new HHS website.
The White House is also in “continuous communication” with Target, Amazon, Walmart and other primary stores, the official said, “to identify spaces in the country that would possibly be threatened by a critical source of infant formula, and have submitted to work with brands and stores to bring more formula to parts of the country, adding with the U. S. government. U. S. for transportation and logistics.
President Joe Biden held virtual meetings Thursday with executives from Target and Walmart, as well as formula makers Reckitt and Gerber, respectively. Since then, officials have been in “close communication to stay abreast of those conversations,” according to the official.
Work is also being done on the supply chain, sensitizing suppliers to formula manufacturers.
“We are also reaching out to suppliers of infant formula brands to tell them that their fabrics are critical to driving infant formula production in the United States and prioritizing its production and delivery,” the official said.
In an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” on Monday, the commissioner of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration( food and drug administration) said. U. S. Secretary of State Dr. Robert Califf said the administration is “doing everything it can” to address the shortage.
Califf highlighted the efforts that are being made to work with brands to increase production, to work in the chain of origin, to work largely with Abbott to open their closed plant as soon as possible. He advised that the FDA would allow formulas destined for other countries to be brought into the United States in a series of announcements expected “by the end of today. “
Pressed to find out how much impact this resolution will have, he said the broader situation will “gradually improve” over the course of “a few weeks. “On Thursday, Califf testified before the Subcommittee on Agricultural Credit about the FDA. Budget request 2023 and supervision of infant formula.
The infant formula shortage has been exacerbated by the FDA’s closure of the nation’s infant formula plant, Abbott Nutrition’s facility in Sturgis, Michigan.
Production was halted at the plant in February after reports that 4 babies who were drinking formula made at the plant had become ill with serious and rare infections caused by cronobacter sakazakii bacteria. Two of the young children died. A whistleblower also detailed claims to the FDA that Abbott concealed protective considerations months before the infant formula recall in February.
Pressed on how soon the source will return to normal, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra declined to give details, telling CNN on Monday that “Abbott is the one who can tell you the timeline. “
Becerra said the government is working with the company to make sure it addresses the security issues raised and that “this is done in a few weeks. “
“We don’t run their factories. They are the only ones who can solve the protective disorders known to our inspections. They’ve been coming with this for a long time, we’ve let them know what they want to do,” Becerra told CNN. Kate Bolduan in “At This Hour. “
“We’ll do everything we can, we’ll do all the levers we can to help them move as temporarily as possible, but they’re their factory. They own and exploit them, they are the ones who have to do whatever it takes.
Abbott said last week it can restart production at its Michigan plant, pending FDA approval, within two weeks, but it may be a few more weeks before the formula is on the shelves.
On CNN, Becerra also defended the administration’s reaction to Abbott’s withdrawal and denunciation, saying, “We act as temporarily as possible. “
“The FDA is acting with the planned speed to make sure that if you’re going to do something as radical as urging a manufacturer to take a product off the shelves, there’s clever evidence of that. That’s why it takes a little bit of time,” he said. .
This story has been updated with more reports.
El-CNN-Wire™
CNN’s Brenda Goodman and Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report.
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