White House Recommends Calling Doctors for Free ‘Samples’ of Baby Formula as Shortage Continues

Screenshot via YouTube

The baby formula shortage is expected to continue across the U.S. in the weeks to come, but in the meantime the White House is offering some advice, free of charge.

Posted to the White House Instagram account this week was a guide for parents likely struggling to find infant formula at stores at the moment due to continuing supply chain issues.

Among the recommendations from the White House is calling one’s OB/GYN to inquire about free “samples” offered at their offices. Other recommendations include replacing baby formula with toddler formula for a few days for children that are close to a year old, or switching to a different brand of baby formula that may somehow be in stock.

On the “do not” list is watering down formula and even making one’s own formula at one. The final “do not” recommendation is avoiding throwing away any non-expired, non-recalled baby formula during this massive shortage of baby formula.

President Joe Biden and other White House officials have promoted their efforts to combat the supply chain issue of baby formula, but critics have said they did not act quickly enough. On Wednesday, the president directed suppliers to direct resources to baby formula manufacturers before others. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently pushed some of the blame for the shortages at an Abbott Laboratories plant being shut down in Sturgis, Michigan in February after it was tied to the death of two infants who drank formula containing bacteria. Abbott has denied any connection, while the FDA continues to investigate.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a House subcommittee hearing on Thursday that the baby formula shortage situation may improve in the coming days, but it will take weeks for supplies and distribution to get back to normal.

“Within days it will get better, but it will be a few weeks until we’re back to normal,” he said.

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