House GOP launches investigation into FDA’s handling of infant formula shortage

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House Republicans are investigating the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) failure to address the national infant formula shortage last year.

House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Health Care and Financial Services Subcommittee Chair Lisa McClain (R-MI) are calling on the FDA to provide documents and communications between the FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and White House staff related to the committee’s formula shortage response before April 4.

The Republicans in their letter explain:

The Reagan-Udall Foundation report titled “Operational Evaluation of the FDA Human Foods Program,” found that there was “little incentive and no requirement” to “facilitate critical thinking and proactive decision-making” during the infant formula shortage. Despite this report and the recognized need for a major overhaul, you said there would be no reassignments or layoffs due to the administration’s response to the baby formula shortage.

Formula shortages began in the summer of 2021 when global supply chains were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the administration worked to contain the problem, families across the country wondered how they were going to feed infants in their families and communities. NOW, instead of removing or reassigning the people responsible for the poor response to this crisis, the announced restructuring of the food and nutrition division simply requires some offices and staff to report to the newly created post of Deputy Food Commissioner. The Committee is concerned that the restructuring of the FDA is a superficial attempt, rather than a genuine effort, to bring accountability and bring about meaningful change. [Emphasis added.]

Infant formula shortages began during the first half of the coronavirus pandemic and grew further in the summer of 2021 when global supply chains were further disrupted by the pandemic.

Then, in February 2022, Abbott Laboratories closed the company’s largest infant formula plant, which produces about a fifth of US formula, for safety reasons, in addition to recalling various infant formulas from the plant. . This inevitably triggered empty shelves, higher prices and retailers limiting sales of scarce products. In May 2022, a study found that 43% of infant formula was still out of stock nationally.

As the the wall street journal explained, during the shortage, the Biden administration, through an effort called Operation Fly Formula, used its contracts with commercial air cargo lines to bring formula to the United States from other countries. The agency has also licensed various foreign infant formula manufacturers to sell products in the United States.

The press release accompanying the letter also acknowledged that at the time, former President Donald Trump’s HHS secretary, Xavier Becerra, had been repeatedly warned of the shortage, but that the FDA had delayed making necessary measures to deal with the crisis. crisis.

The committee also planned a hearing next week on the matter, according to the The Wall Street Journal, including the testimony of Frank Yianas. This former FDA official was implicated in the recall of the formula.

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss .

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