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

WASHINGTON, Could 22 (Reuters) - A navy cargo plane carrying the first shipment of infant method from Europe to help handle a essential shortage in the USA landed in Indianapolis on Sunday, and the White Home said a second flight had been arranged.

A Feb. 17 recall by prime child method maker Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and the closing of its manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan during an investigation by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration has created one of the biggest infant formula shortages in recent historical past for U.S. families.

"This is an important step, but it's by no means the only step that should take place. We are going to continue to work as the president has instructed us to look for each opportunity to extend provide," mentioned Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the airplane on its arrival.

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"This specific system is for a very, very small share of youngsters. Roughly 17,000 children in the nation principally are the beneficiaries of this explicit formula," he mentioned.

President Joe Biden's administration is in search of to stock empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle (NESN.S) specialty toddler formulas. Biden final week invoked the Cold Battle-era Protection Production Act to help increase provides.

The White House said on Sunday a second flight carrying components would leave 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 companies given priority status for raw supplies underneath the Defense Production Act.

Pallets of infant system being shipped from Europe to the US during Operation Fly Formulation are seen in a transport aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in a photograph released May 22, 2022. The White House/Handout through REUTERS

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

Troops used forklifts to unload boxes of the cargo from the aircraft in Indianapolis and onto vans heading to distribution centers.The White House stated 78,000 pounds (35,000 kg) of specialty toddler method - enough for 500,000 bottles - had arrived on the flight.

Abbott, the biggest U.S. supplier of powder toddler system, closed its Michigan plant following stories of bacterial infections in 4 infants, worsening a shortage amongst a number of manufacturers that began with supply-chain points tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

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

"We're sorry to each family we have let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation’s child formula shortage," he wrote in a Washington Publish column.

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

"This emergency govt order will help us to crack down on any retailer seeking to capitalize on this crisis by jacking up prices on this essential good," Adams mentioned in a statement.

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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; Modifying by Ross Colvin, Invoice Berkrot, Chris Reese and Paul Simao

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