Abbott Labs faces investigations over toxic baby formula

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission are launching investigations into the formula business at Abbott Laboratories.

The recall of their Similac products in 2022, which led to the shutdown of their Michigan factory and formula shortages across the U.S., was sparked by the deaths of two infants who had taken the product.

Abbott Laboratories received a subpoena last December from the SEC, which requested “information relating to Abbott’s powder infant-formula business and related public disclosures,” CBS News reports.

In January, the FTC issued the manufacturer a civil investigative demand related to infant formula production, which was followed by U.S. Justice Department launching its own investigation into operations at the plant in Sturgis, Mich.

It started in February 2022, when the Food and Drug Administration responded to a whistleblower report alleging the company had engaged in a coverup of substandard cleaning practices and had shipped potentially contaminated formula to retailers.

This precipitated the recall of multiple products manufactured at the Sturgis plant, including Similac, EleCare and Alimentum.

Investigators found evidence of cronobacter sakazakii bacteria at the facility. The recall came after four infants drank Abbott’s formula and developed cronobacter infections. Two of the infants died.

There are now at least 24 families suing Abbott over the contaminated formula, but the company maintains that a connection between the issues has yet to be proved.

Abbott representatives say there is “no conclusive evidence linking its formula to the infants’ illnesses, as none of the cronobacter strains found at their plant matched samples genetically sequenced from the sick infants.”