Some of the stories Dial P covers during the year are so big, impactful, and educational, that they warrant revisiting long after they have faded from the headlines.
In this Dial P updated Classic, host Kelly Barner looks back at the baby formula shortage that rocked the nation earlier this year by providing a few updates to the story since we covered it in May. The most important update of all is that families, especially families with babies who have special nutritional needs, continue to struggle.
For instance:
- The baby formula shortage peaked in July – when the national average out of stock rate was 31%. As of October, out of stock rates are down, but still double what they were before the Abbott facility closed and recalled a significant volume of product.
- The Abbott plant in Sturgis, MI reopened on July first – after an additional two-week delay due to heavy flooding at the facility.
There are no signs that the WIC (Women Infants and Children) program is being reexamined for the role it played in causing this crisis by driving supply concentration with its one-provider-per-state bidding strategy.
