Congressman Fred Upton is eager for the baby formula plant in his district to be up and running again.
Upton, R-St. Joseph, relayed his sense of urgency after touring the Abbott Nutrition facility Wednesday, May 25. The tour came as the country faces a shortage of baby formula worsened by the closure of the factory.
“Though temporary relief is arriving to help families, the solution to the formula shortage only can be found by getting the Abbott Nutrition facility approved and up and running again,” Upton said in a statement. “I am glad progress has been made by the Abbott team, who are eager to get production of their vital formulas moving, and the FDA on the approval end.”
Abbott entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, making way for the pharmaceutical company to re-open its infant formula plant in Sturgis, the company announced last week.
The head of the FDA previously told lawmakers the shuttered plant could be operating as soon as this week.
Abbott has said previously that there will be an about two-month delay between the time production restarts and when the products actually make it to stores.
Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan formula plant, the largest in the U.S., has been closed since February due to contamination problems. The FDA announced a preliminary agreement with Abbott last week to restart production, pending safety upgrades and certifications.
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“This crisis is one the federal government should have anticipated given the critical role played by the Sturgis facility in producing hypoallergenic and other formulas needed by families for their children and loved ones,” Upton said in a statement.
He was pleased to see Wednesday the work Abbott workers are doing to get the production lines running again and get formula back on supermarket shelves, Upton said.
“With the $28 million approved by Congress last week, hopefully the FDA will be able to resolve this crisis and ensure the safety of formula production sites here and abroad,” Upton said. “I also look forward to participating in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee hearing on this issue, where I will encourage all involved to get ahead of these problems in the future and find solutions before they become crises.”
Later on Wednesday, Rep. Upton questioned Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on the progress the FDA has made in reauthorizing Abbott Nutrition in a Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Energy and Commerce.
You can watch that exchange here.
Upton, Michigan’s longest serving member of Congress, is retiring and will not run for reelection, he announced on April 5.
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