Does Infant Formula Present an Unreasonable Risk of Harm to Premature Babies?

For parents of premature infants, ensuring proper nutrition is essential for their babies’ survival and healthy development. Many hospitals and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) rely on infant formula products like Similac and Enfamil, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, Inc. and Mead Johnson & Company, LLC, to provide essential nutrients. However, growing evidence suggests that these cow’s milk-based formulas pose a significant risk to premature babies, increasing their chances of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)—a life-threatening intestinal disease. This alarming connection has led to multiple lawsuits against the formula manufacturers, alleging that these companies failed to warn parents and medical professionals about the dangers of their products.

As a personal injury attorney experienced in dangerous drug product liability cases, the New York law firm of Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., helps parents whose children were harmed by unreasonably dangerous products that were defective due to the way they were designed, manufactured, or marketed to consumers.

The Link Between Infant Formula and Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal condition that primarily affects premature infants. NEC causes inflammation in the intestines, which can lead to tissue death, intestinal perforation, and even life-threatening infections. Research indicates that premature babies who are fed cow’s milk-based infant formulas like Similac and Enfamil instead of their mother’s milk or donor breast milk have a significantly increased risk of developing NEC.

What Do Experts Say?

The connection between infant formula and NEC has been recognized by leading medical experts and institutions:

• The Journal of Pediatrics published research showing that premature infants fed cow’s milk-based formula were at a substantially higher risk of developing NEC compared to those fed human milk.
• A paper published by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions reported that extremely premature babies who were fed human donor milk were less likely to develop NEC than babies who were fed a standard cow’s milk-derived premature infant formula.
• The U.S. Surgeon General has indicated that the use of cow’s milk-based formulas for preterm infants can greatly increase the risk of fatality, while also pointing out the importance of human milk in reducing NEC risks and improving health outcomes.

Despite these warnings, Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson have continued to market their formulas for premature infants without providing adequate warnings about the increased risk of NEC.

Lawsuits Against Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson, alleging that the companies:

• Failed to warn parents and medical providers about the heightened risk of NEC associated with their products.
• Engaged in misleading marketing, falsely presenting their formulas as safe and beneficial for premature infants.
• Ignored scientific evidence linking their products to serious health complications.

Parents who have lost their children or whose infants suffered severe complications due to NEC are now seeking justice against these formula manufacturers. The lawsuits argue that these companies prioritized profits over safety by continuing to market their products without adequate warnings, despite clear evidence of harm.

Do You Have a Case?

If your premature infant was diagnosed with NEC after being fed Similac or Enfamil, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C. is dedicated to holding corporations accountable for placing dangerous products on the market. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your legal options. You deserve justice for your child’s suffering and the reassurance that negligent manufacturers are held responsible for their actions.