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A shipment of infant formula arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday, in the hopes of helping to alleviate the nationwide formula shortage. A C-17 cargo plane that originated in Switzerland was trucked to Germany where it was loaded with the formula and flown to the United States. The shipment contains hypoallergenic formula that will be fed to babies intolerant of protein in cow milk.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the shipment of 78,000 pounds of specialty infant formula arrived in Indiana on Sunday morning. Jean-Pierre added that the formula was manufactured in an FDA-approved facility and would be inspected on arrival: “We prioritize this for the first shipment because this formula type serves a critical medical purpose and is in short supply in the United States as the result of the Abbott Sturgis plant closure,” she said.
President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter on Sunday: “Folks, I’m excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 pounds of infant formula and about to land in Indiana. Our team is working around the clock to get safe formula to everyone who needs it.”
A Biden administration official told CNN that the formula contained in the shipment will be distributed to hospitals, doctors, home healthcare facilities and pharmacies, with none making its way to store shelves. Indianapolis was chosen as the arrival site for the formula, which includes Nestle Health Science formula, as a Nestle distribution site is located in the city. A Nestle spokesperson said: “Some cases are ready for distribution in the next couple of days. Others will be released into the supply chain after standard quality testing is completed.” FedEx partners will assist with the sorting and distribution of the formula.
The United States has been facing a formula shortage since Abbott Nutrition, the largest infant formula manufacturer in the United States, announced a recall of several lines of powdered formula on Feb. 17, after they were linked to infections in infants.
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