Mom said infant formula killed her baby. The manufacturer closed the file

A KFF Health News report describes how Mead Johnson closed a file after an infant formula complaint, despite the mother’s claim that the product was linked to her preterm child’s death. In September 2016, the mother emailed Mead Johnson saying her son died from NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious condition that can be fatal in premature infants. An internal company memo cited “extensive quality and safety checks” and concluded there was “not a reasonable possibility” the formula caused the death, stating that no further investigation was needed. The email and memo were later used in court cases, including Watson v. Mead Johnson and Whitfield v. St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Under U.S. rules, companies must investigate complaints and notify the FDA within 15 days only if they find a “reasonable possibility” of a causal relationship; KFF says the FDA reported no notifications received since 2020, and none found for 2000 onward based on a search.