Emergency Shipment of Baby Formula Arrives From Europe

MONDAY, May 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A 35-ton shipment of hypoallergenic baby formula from Switzerland arrived in the United States on Sunday, the first delivery in what the Biden administration is calling “Operation Fly Formula” to deal with a nationwide shortage.

The 132 pallets of formula arrived in Indianapolis on a military C-17 cargo plane from Germany and will be fed to babies intolerant of the protein supplied by cow’s milk, CNN reported.

The shipment of Nestle Health Science formula is expected to provide enough formula for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for one week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said as he greeted the delivery in Indianapolis. None of the shipment will be for sale on store shelves because it is designated for these babies most in need.

A second shipment of 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start Extensive HA infant formula is expected to take place soon, according to the White House. All told, these first rounds of shipments are expected to be the equivalent of 1.5 million doses of 8-oz bottles, CNN said.

President Joe Biden announced Operation Fly Formula last week, directing the federal government to import formula from overseas. On Sunday, the administration also announced two priority orders under the Defense Production Act for infant formula from Reckitt and Abbott Nutrition. The authorizations under the act will help the companies to more quickly receive the raw materials needed to produce formula.

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