U.S. FDA expands collaboration with Danone to boost baby formula supply

(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it has expanded its collaboration with Danone’s Nutricia business to boost supplies of specialized medical baby formula bottles to address its shortage among infants with certain allergies or critical health conditions.

The health regulator said about 500,000 additional cans manufactured by Danone would be sent to the United States.

Meanwhile, lawmakers grilled the agency officials on Wednesday over what they saw as a lack of urgency in their response to complaints about possible baby formula contamination at a now shuttered Abbott Laboratories plant that led to severe nationwide shortages.

Abbott controlled 40% of the market before the plant closed, Christopher Calamari, president of Abbott U.S. nutrition, told lawmakers, and the plant accounted for 40% of Abbott’s product.

(This story corrects to say 500,000 cans, not 5 million, in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)