Officials of the Biden administration are considering further steps to avoid a steep drop in baby formula access for low-income Americans as shortages remain in pockets across the United States.
Sources told Politico that administration officials are likely to again extend federal flexibilities in the coming days for low-income mothers and infants to access formula through the federal WIC (women, infants and children) nutrition program. Current waivers are set to expire on September 30.
Half of all infant formula in the U.S. is purchased through the WIC program. The move would help the Biden administration lower financial burdens on those poor families, which is especially critical for the White House ahead of the November midterm elections.
Baby formula shortage still wreaking havoc in the U.S.
Officials are expected to herald the efforts of President Joe Biden to ease the economic hardship of ordinary Americans while in the process limiting political attacks from the GOP around infant formula stocks.
An official from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter said that what they don't want is another major disruption in access when Abbott still is not pushing out its normal supply flow.
With the Abbott Nutrition facility still not operating at full capacity, extending the waivers would provide American families more flexibility to buy other formula brands that are available in the market.
The company's dominance over the WIC market's state-level contracts has proven to be a major headache for low-income families who rely on the program. They were hit especially hard by Abbott's shutdown of the Michigan plant which led to the recall of some products made at the facility in mid-February after FDA inspectors found strains of a bacteria that can be deadly to babies.
A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed that they are taking a very serious look at extending the flexibilities for American families and hopes to do so soon.
Extension of baby formula waivers a huge help for American families
Abbott is also having separate plans to pay for another month of the rebates it has been providing to WIC users so they can buy whatever formula is in stock if the company's regular Similac product is not available. Abbott spokesperson John Koval confirmed those plans, even if it means buying formula from a direct competitor.
Some medical providers have already expressed concern about the fast approaching WIC deadlines hitting low-income American families while shelves are still sparse in pockets across states from Utah to Ohio to North Carolina, according to Reuters.
Drug stores in places such as New York City are also again limiting formula purchases to just one per person. Biden officials privately acknowledge that the move by Abbott, which initially resisted pressure to pay for such rebates from the administration this spring, suggests that the company does not expect to have enough supply of its regular Similac formula for some time still.
