Guthrie, Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Republicans Seek Answers on FDA’s Response to Baby Formula Shortage

Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), who serves as the Republican Leader of Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, along with House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Morgan Griffith (VA-09), are requesting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) be transparent and provide memos and reports that were sent to the White House on the baby formula shortage.

In a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. the members wrote, “In addition, the timeline of infant formula related activities provided as part of FDA’s testimony for the same hearing notes that on February 16, 2022, FDA submitted ‘a report to U.S. government (USG) partners on the potential recall and supply chain impacts given the significant market share held by Abbott Nutrition, as well as the Sturgis facility being a critical producer of specialty metabolic and amino acid formulas.’ However, during a White House roundtable on June 1, 2022, hosted by administration officials and infant formula manufacturers, President Biden stated that he was not briefed about the infant formula shortage and how intense it was until April 2022. Furthermore, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo recently stated that she ‘probably’ did not learn about the infant formula crisis until April, and that she is not ‘involved in the administration’s response.’ Thus, it is important to understand how and when the infant formula issues were communicated and described by the FDA to the White House and other USG partners.”

Guthrie, Rodgers, and Griffith are requesting the following from the FDA in their letter:

• A copy of each of the memos referenced in your May 25, 2022, oral testimony.
  • For each memo, please specify to whom the memo was produced and when the memo was produced to them.
• A copy of the report referenced in FDA’s written testimony for the May 25, 2022, hearing.
  • Please specify to whom this report was sent and when the report was sent to them.
• Besides the aforementioned memos and report, was there any other communication between the FDA and the White House regarding infant formula in February 2022?
  • If so, please specify the nature of this communication, including the dates, types of communication (i.e., meetings, emails, phone calls, video calls, etc.), FDA and White House personnel involved, and topics discussed.

Click HERE to the read the full letter sent to FDA requesting this information.

This letter to the FDA to get answers for parents follows the bill Guthrie introduced on June 9, 2022, to help prevent future shortages of baby formula and help address the current shortage. Click HERE to learn more about the More Options for Infants and Parents Act. Guthrie is also a co-sponsor of the Babies Need More Formula Now Act and supported Access to Baby Formula Act, which is now law.