Baby Formula Lawyer

A baby formula lawsuit demands compensation for injuries if your baby was fed cow’s milk-based formula and suffered serious gastrointestinal problems. Premature babies need extra nutrition to support their ongoing development, and your baby may have been fed cow’s milk-based formula including Enfamil and Similac during their time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or at home to help support their growth and development.

Some premature infants are fed formula as their main source of nutrition, and some are fed their mother’s breast milk, or donor milk, and use formula as a fortifier.

Multiple studies over the past 20 years have shown that prematurely born babies who are fed cow’s milk-based formulas are 10 times more likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) than those who only receive human milk.

NEC is a bowel disease that can cause a range of health problems and may necessitate surgery. Some of these health problems include sepsis or death.

Many parents were never informed of the risks associated with these cow’s milk-based formulas, and their manufacturers have failed to warn parents about the risks of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature babies.

If your premature baby was fed Enfamil or Similac and later suffered from necrotizing enterocolitis, contact our award-willing Drug Lawsuit Source attorneys today for your free case review.

What is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
What are the Signs of Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
Are Cow’s Milk-Based Formulas Recalled?
Can I Sue the Manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac?
Contact Our Baby Formula Lawyers Today

What is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)?

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a digestive disease that occurs primarily in premature babies and can cause inflammation of the intestinal lining. This inflammation can lead to serious infection or even death.

In some cases, the inflamed intestinal wall is eventually eroded away, which allows bacteria to enter the intestinal tract and jeopardizes the health of the infant. NEC usually occurs in infants who are born before 32 weeks gestation, and it develops between two to four weeks after birth.

NEC is the most common cause of gastrointestinal-related morbidity and mortality in the NICU, according to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of NEC?

The most obvious signs of NEC are swelling of the abdomen, and most signs occur within a few days to weeks. These include:

Vomiting
Tender, swollen, or red stomach
Decreased bowel sounds
Diarrhea
Abnormal breathing
Lethargy
Bloody or dark stools
Constipation
Trouble feeding
Low blood pressure
A low or unstable body temperature

To diagnose NEC, a doctor may need to perform a blood test or fecal test or take an X-ray of the infant’s abdomen. The blood test checks for bacteria, while the fecal test checks for blood in the baby’s poop that isn’t visible to the naked eye. The X-ray can show signs of NEC, including air bubbles around the intestine, and air bubbles can also indicate a damaged bowel.

In some cases, scarring and narrowing of the bowel may develop and lead to a blockage. It is common for infants to require surgery for NEC. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, 1 in 4 babies with necrotizing enterocolitis will need to have part of the intestines removed due to dead tissue.

Are Cow’s Milk-Based Formulas Recalled?

To date, Enfamil and Similac have not been recalled, despite not having accurate warnings about the side effects of NEC on their packaging. There have been previous recalls unrelated to NEC. The cow’s milk-based formulas include:

Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier Acidified Liquid
Enfamil Powder
Enfamil NeuroPro Enfacare
Enfamil Premature 20 Cal
Enfamil Premature 24 Cal
Enfamil Premature 30 Cal
Enfamil 24 and DHA & ARA Supplement
Similac Special Care
Similac Human Milk Fortifier
Similac NeoSure
Similac Alimentum
Similac Special Care
Similac Special Care 30

Baby Formula Sales Statistics

About 80% of baby formulas are cow’s milk-based, some other brands are:

Earth’s Best
Happy Baby
Go & Grow
Gerber
Parent’s Choice
Loulouka

However, as you’ll see below, in 2016 Mead Johnson, who manufacturers Enfamil, sold 74.9 million units of baby formula and Abbott Laboratories, who manufacturers Similac, sold 77 million units of baby formula in the United States alone.
Drug Lawsuit Source Unit Sales of Baby Formula 2016

Can I Sue the Manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac?

To date, multiple lawsuits have been filed by caregivers after their premature babies developed NEC after ingesting either Enfamil or Similac. According to the lawsuits, the manufacturers failed to warn parents and guardians about the associated health risks of the formula.

The manufacturers, Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson are being accused of failing to warn caregivers of potential gastrointestinal risks associated with cow’s milk-based formulas.

If your premature infant developed necrotizing enterocolitis from cow’s milk-based formula, you may be entitled to compensation.

The FDA is also investigating complaints of at least four infant illnesses across three states, and is advising consumers to not use Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered infant formula manufactured at the Sturgis, Michigan-based Abbott Nutrition facility.

The US Food and Drug Administration recalled certain powdered baby formulas, including Similac, that may be tied to bacterial infections due to Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella.

According to the CDC, the current manufacturing methods for powdered baby formula do not allow for the possibility to produce sterile powdered formula. It is possible, but not confirmed, that Cronobacter could get into the formula powder if contaminated materials were used to make the formula or if the powder touches a contaminated item in the manufacturing environment.

If your infant was fed Similac, Alimentum or EleCare and later suffered from a bacterial infection, call our award-winning lawyers today.

Contact Our Baby Formula Lawyers

Contact our award-winning Drug Lawsuit Source attorneys today for your free case review if your premature baby was given Similac, Enfamil, or another cow’s milk-based formula and they developed necrotizing enterocolitis.

Call our baby formula lawsuit lawyers today for your free case review. We charge no fees unless we win. You may be entitled to significant compensation.