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- U.S. regulators did not inspect any of the three largest baby formula manufacturers in 2020, according to records reviewed by The Associated Press.
- When they finally did get inside an Abbott Nutrition formula plant in Michigan after a two-year gap, inspectors found lax sanitation procedures.
- Five months later, inspectors returned to the same plant after several infants who had the formula suffered bacterial infections.
- They found bacterial contamination inside the factory, leading to a four-month shutdown and a nationwide formula shortage in recent months.
- The gap in baby formula plant inspections, brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, is getting new scrutiny now from Congress.
- Does there need to be an overhaul at the FDA so there are tougher and/or more frequent inspections for things like baby formula?