Abbott Faces Trial Over Alleged Health Risks Linked to Baby Formula

Similac baby formula maker Abbott is set for a trial on charges that its formula for preterm infants used in neonatal intensive care units causes necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Illinois resident Margo Gill alleges the formula caused serious health problems for her child. This is the second of many such lawsuits.

Similac baby formula maker Abbott is facing a trial starting Monday over claims that its formula for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units causes a potentially deadly bowel disease. This trial is the second amid hundreds of similar lawsuits in the United States.

Lawyers for Abbott and Illinois resident Margo Gill will present their opening statements to jurors in St. Louis, Missouri. The trial is expected to last most of the month. Gill claims that her premature infant developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) from consuming Abbott's products for premature babies. NEC, which can be fatal, mostly affects newborns. While Gill's child survived, long-term health issues reportedly persist.

The lawsuits focus on specialized formulas and fortifiers provided in hospital settings, not ordinary store-bought formulas. Abbott maintains that specialized formulas like theirs are standard care for feeding premature infants. They argue that Gill's child's condition was unrelated to their products.

There are nearly 1,000 lawsuits against Abbott and Enfamil maker Reckitt Benckiser, claiming cow's milk-based formulas increase the risk of NEC compared to breast milk or donor milk. The first trial resulted in a $60 million jury verdict against Reckitt in Illinois. Both companies are appealing.

The NEC Society, a non-profit organization, has criticized the lawsuits, arguing that feeding decisions should be medical, not legal. The lawsuits are distinct from Abbott's other legal issues, including a shutdown and recall over possible contamination that led to a formula shortage in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)