The HHS has announced that they have new way for parents to access infant formula resources. The initiative is part of the ongoing effort to make baby formula news and updates more accessible to families in need of the precious commodity. HHS has launched the Information for Families During the Formula Shortage website.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also doing all they can to help by meeting with the nations major formula manufacturers regularly basis. An all out effort to maximize production is in process. For more on what the FDA is doing click here.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is helping families by making sure WIC agencies across the country grant waivers of certain WIC regulations to ensure production is expedited as quickly as possible.

Children who have a critical need for a specialty formula should contact Abbott directly to request the product by calling 1-800-881-0876 or for a urgent formula parents can click here for the request form. Meanwhile health care professionals offer the following advice to parents in regard to baby formula:

Never dilute formula. Diluting infant formula with water or other liquids can be dangerous and even life-threatening for babies, leading to a serious nutritional deficit and health issues.

Avoid homemade formula: Homemade formulas often lack or have inadequate amounts of critical nutrients. For example, babies fed homemade infant formula have been hospitalized due to hypocalcemia (low calcium).

Use of substitute formulas is OK: For most babies, if their regular brand of formula is not currently available, it is OK to substitute with a similar version. If families have questions about which formula is acceptable, or if they are still having difficulty finding formula, they should contact their child’s pediatric provider or WIC clinic.

Talk to your doctor: Families should consult their pediatrician if their babies or children
require a specialized formula and need a recommendation for a comparable formula to use. Providers can also submit an urgent request for specialized formula to Abbott, a primary formula manufacturer. Abbott is releasing some specialty and metabolic formulas on a case-by-case basis.

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