How does the wealthiest nation in the world run out of infant formula? Yes, we’ve heard all the excuses: a product recall at an Abbott Nutrition plant; manufacturers caught off guard by the pandemic; a decline in breastfeeding; and, of course, supply chain issues.
Whatever the reasons, sources say available stocks of most brands of formula are down 40% to 50% in at least 26 states. The situation is even more dire for babies who require specialty formulas.
Few of the major news sites are featuring articles about the shortage on their homepages. One had to do a search to find any information on the crisis in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. Apparently when it comes to the Biden administration, the mainstream media believes that bad news means no news.
However, according to Hampton Road’s Wavy.com, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk reports that “in the past six weeks about half a dozen babies have been brought into the hospital dehydrated or with failure to thrive.” Hospitals across the country are seeing similar cases.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued strict advisories to parents and caregivers warning against making homemade formula to nourish their babies. But it offers few alternatives to frantic moms and dads on how to feed ravenous infants.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg remains silent on what he is doing to fix the disastrous supply chain issues that are contributing to this and several other critical shortages.
This is just the latest crisis in what has been 16 months of disasters for the Oval Office. During a recent interview, one White House official flippantly quipped, “Like we didn’t have enough problems, sure, throw in baby formula.”
And the Biden administration still has 32 months in office.
— Robin Beres, editor
