(Baby Formula Shortage): Biden ADMITS He Knew Of Crisis In Early April (4/27/22 23:53 PST) (1 Viewer)

[quick-hands]

That seems like a rather special case. Off the top of my head, I'd say use lactose-free milk instead of regular whole milk, and add table sugar instead of lactose. Obviously people who are actually in that situation should look around for better info.

From what I understand  it's the special needs formula that is most scarce.

 

[beef]

I prefer sucking a teat to formula. 

 

[BladeRunner]

I prefer sucking a teat to formula. 

I'm with this guy.

 

[quick-hands]

Babies don't care.   They are hungry.

Maga king wouldn't  stand for this.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

FBGs googling baby formula recipes on the internet might be the dumbest thing I've ever read on the internet.  

 

[Teumessian Fox]

FBGs googling baby formula recipes on the internet might be the dumbest thing I've ever read on the internet.  

FBG Moderator googling baby formula...

 

[IvanKaramazov]

In case you're curious, here's a story from April 2021 describing how the government treats the importation of infant formula from overseas -- basically, it's the same way that they treat the importation of heroin.

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized 588 cases of infant formula, valued at about $30,000, in Philadelphia recently for violating U.S. Food and Drug Administration import safety regulations.

During February, CBP officers inspected 17 separate shipments of a variety of HiPP and Holle brand infant formulas that arrived from Germany and The Netherlands, respectively. The infant formula was destined to a Philadelphia freight forwarder for eventual delivery to an address in Nevada. Officers detained the shipments and consulted with the FDA who issued import safety alerts concerning noncompliant infant formula.

In March, the FDA determined that the infant formula lacked appropriate nutritional labeling and violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) as misbranded and adulterated consumer products. The FD&C Act prohibits the introduction, or delivery for the introduction, into interstate commerce of any food, drug, device, tobacco product, or cosmetic that is adulterated or misbranded. Additionally, the manufacturers failed to comply with FDA regulatory requirements to sell their infant formula in the United States.

Consumer protection remains a CBP hallmark trade enforcement priority, and the agency cautions consumers who may be considering buying online from overseas vendors.

“Consumers should be very careful when contemplating the purchase of items over the internet from an international source, because they may not get what they expect. People expect that the products they purchase comply with existing U.S. health and safety laws and regulations and they’ll be safe for them or their family.  That’s not always the case.” said Keith Fleming, CBP’s Acting Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “CBP remains steadfast in our continuing commitment to working with the Food and Drug Administration and our other consumer safety partners in our collective efforts to help keep our citizens safe.”

CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations conduct the agency’s border security mission at our nation’s Ports of Entry. CBP officers screen international travelers and cargo and search for dangerous drugs, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

On a typical CBP day last year, CBP processed 90,000 entries of imported goods with a value of $6.64 billion at our air, sea and land ports of entry. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore and on Instagram at @dfobaltimore for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/philadelphia-cbp-seizes-nearly-600-cases-infant-formula-unapproved

Again, we're talking here about people who are trying to buy a product that is approved for sale in Germany.  This is not some sketchy vendor operating out of India or someplace like that.  This is almost certainly just as safe as anything sold in the US, but the government cracks down on it anyway because government is the problem.  @tommyGunZ hates it when people point that out, but yet here we are.

 

[beef]

At a Target in Madison right now and I see plenty of formula. 

 

[KarmaPolice]

At a Target in Madison right now and I see plenty of formula. 

Buy it up and sell it online with a stiff markup!

 

[Stealthycat]

Correct.

To be more accurate and complete: the private sector makes it, and the federal government buys it and sends it to facilities it manages, which include but are not limited to immigrant detention facilities.

Do you not think they should do that? Open question for the board conservatives, in light of the letter Greg Abbott sent last night. Do you agree with him? 

I don't think there should be anyone illegally here at all - that's correct and if there wasn't, the problems with the Govt sending things to them wouldn't exist

Yes I agree taking care of US Citizens is first, not taking care of people from other countries

 

[Toby2ElectricBugaloo]

Hey guys, been offline a couple days. Are the "pro-life" people still suggesting that our government starve the babies we have imprisoned? 

 

[FairWarning]

Hey guys, been offline a couple days. Are the "pro-life" people still suggesting that our government starve the babies we have imprisoned? 

We are just sending the kids here to the border instead.

 

[Toby2ElectricBugaloo]

I don't think there should be anyone illegally here at all - that's correct and if there wasn't, the problems with the Govt sending things to them wouldn't exist

Yes I agree taking care of US Citizens is first, not taking care of people from other countries

Apparently yes, they are.

I can't believe I even have to explain, but on the off chance that people genuinely don't understand it: this is not an apples to apples comparison. Babies in detention and their families can't obtain formula on their own.  In addition, I would imagine a disproportionate number of detained babies have been separated from their mothers, which means no breast milk for them either (this seems like a good time to recall which party wanted to separate ALL the babies from their mothers).

The formula shortage absolutely sucks, and if you want to nationalize infant and child health care I'll be the first to sign up (take as guess as to which party opposes such things on the regular!). But unfortunately, that's not the choice my fellow Americans have made. They trust the free market, and sometimes the free market results in a single factory being responsible for producing half the nation's supply of a vital good, and sometimes that factory gets contaminated with a pathogen that kills kids.

A shortage is heartbreaking, but it is not the same as starvation. My local supermarket is out of prepared formula but has plenty of powder for sale American citizens can find and purchase formula at this or any other store with a similar inventory. Infants in detention and their families cannot. 

This is not rocket science, folks. Like I said a few days ago, three choices: feed them, starve them, let them go. Take your pick.

 

[ZADO]

Apparently yes, they are.

I can't believe I even have to explain, but on the off chance that people genuinely don't understand it: this is not an apples to apples comparison. Babies in detention and their families can't obtain formula on their own.  In addition, I would imagine a disproportionate number of detained babies have been separated from their mothers, which means no breast milk for them either (this seems like a good time to recall which party wanted to separate ALL the babies from their mothers).

The formula shortage absolutely sucks, and if you want to nationalize infant and child health care I'll be the first to sign up (take as guess as to which party opposes such things on the regular!). But unfortunately, that's not the choice my fellow Americans have made. They trust the free market, and sometimes the free market results in a single factory being responsible for producing half the nation's supply of a vital good, and sometimes that factory gets contaminated with a pathogen that kills kids.

A shortage is heartbreaking, but it is not the same as starvation. My local supermarket is out of prepared formula but has plenty of powder for sale American citizens can find and purchase formula at this or any other store with a similar inventory. Infants in detention and their families cannot. 

This is not rocket science, folks. Like I said a few days ago, three choices: feed them, starve them, let them go. Take your pick.

By ''let them go '' you mean let them go back home right?

 

[Toby2ElectricBugaloo]

By ''let them go '' you mean let them go back home right?

I'm not an expert in these matters, but as I understand it the Constitution afford them due process even before they can be released. And I'm not sure what the process is for return since I believe most undocumented immigrants detained at the border come from central and South America. And of course the parents are the ones who make all the decisions, not the babies, you can't really force the babies to go anywhere.

 

[moleculo]

In case you're curious, here's a story from April 2021 describing how the government treats the importation of infant formula from overseas -- basically, it's the same way that they treat the importation of heroin.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/philadelphia-cbp-seizes-nearly-600-cases-infant-formula-unapproved

Again, we're talking here about people who are trying to buy a product that is approved for sale in Germany.  This is not some sketchy vendor operating out of India or someplace like that.  This is almost certainly just as safe as anything sold in the US, but the government cracks down on it anyway because government is the problem.  @tommyGunZ hates it when people point that out, but yet here we are.

how much of the problem is related to domestic suppliers lobbying the government to make import very difficult?

 

[Gatorman]

how much of the problem is related to domestic suppliers lobbying the government to make import very difficult?

Yes.  Trump created a 17% Tariff on Canadian Formula and the company who makes the formula in the US basically did a 5 billion dollar stock buy back vs. Upgrading their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies.  

So basically the tax cuts enacted by the right and the trade agreement made by the right are to blame for this issue. Don't worry MAGAheads, Fox and the "Now" people will blame this on Biden bc he is the president of the moment.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

how much of the problem is related to domestic suppliers lobbying the government to make import very difficult?

No idea.  The FDA doesn't usually need any help when it comes to keeping products off the market.

 

[John123]

Yes.  Trump created a 17% Tariff on Canadian Formula and the company who makes the formula in the US basically did a 5 billion dollar stock buy back vs. Upgrading their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies.  

So basically the tax cuts enacted by the right and the trade agreement made by the right are to blame for this issue. Don't worry MAGAheads, Fox and the "Now" people will blame this on Biden bc he is the president of the moment.

AFAIK the investigation actually showed that the facility had nothing to do with the babies that died.  Do you have a link showing something other than that? 

 

[Gatorman]

AFAIK the investigation actually showed that the facility had nothing to do with the babies that died.  Do you have a link showing something other than that? 

Why is the shortage occurring?

The issue behind the formula shortage is two-fold. First is the widespread supply chain issue due to the pandemic, which has affected everything from cars to Nutella.

To make matters worse, in February, the Food & Drug Administration closed Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan factory after Abbott voluntarily recalled brands of its formula. The formula was tied to a bacterial infection that was linked to the deaths of at least two infants.

Abbott produces Similac, a routine milk-based formula, as well as Similac Advance and other specialty formulas for babies with certain allergies.

https://twitter.com/moetkacik/status/1524413180331626496/photo/1

 

[massraider]

Yes.  Trump created a 17% Tariff on Canadian Formula and the company who makes the formula in the US basically did a 5 billion dollar stock buy back vs. Upgrading their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies.  

Oh my Lord

 

[Desert_Power]

Yes.  Trump created a 17% Tariff on Canadian Formula and the company who makes the formula in the US basically did a 5 billion dollar stock buy back vs. Upgrading their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies. 

Should be the first post in this thread instead of some bizarre articles.

 

[John123]

Why is the shortage occurring?

I don't believe your information is accurate.  Granted this is per Abbott, but according to them the FDA did not find anything linking their baby formula to the infant's that got ill/died:
 

It's important to know:

Abbott conducts microbiological testing on products prior to distribution and no Abbott formula distributed to consumers tested positive for Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella.

All finished product testing by Abbott and the FDA during the inspection of the facility came back negative for Cronobacter and/or Salmonella. No Salmonella was found at the Sturgis facility.

The Cronobacter sakazakii that was found in environmental testing during the investigation was in non-product contact areas of the facility and has not been linked to any known infant illness. Specifically:

Genetic sequencing on the two available samples from ill infants did not match strains of Cronobacter in our plant. Samples from ill infants did not match each other, meaning there was no connection between the two cases.

In all four cases, the state, FDA, and/or CDC tested samples of the Abbott formula that was used by the child. In all four cases, all unopened containers tested negative.

Open containers from the homes of the infants were also tested in three of the four cases; two of the three tested negative. The one positive was from an open container from the home of the infant, and it tested positive for two different strains of Cronobacter sakazakii, one of which matched the strain that caused the infant’s infection, and the other matched a strain found on a bottle of distilled water in the home used to mix the formula. Again, neither strain matched strains found in our plant.

The infants consumed four different types of our formula made over the course of nearly a year and the illnesses took place over several months in three different states.

https://www.abbott.com/corpnewsroom/nutrition-health-and-wellness/abbott-update-on-powder-formula-recall.html

I realize Abbott is biased but the FDA seems to have their head in the sand on this issue and isn't reporting anything regarding this investigation.  I don't think they'd let Abbott disseminate lies regarding the findings so, unless I see otherwise, the above data seems reasonable. 

 

[FairWarning]

how much of the problem is related to domestic suppliers lobbying the government to make import very difficult?

Bigger than anyone will admit.  

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Should be the first post in this thread instead of some bizarre articles.

Not sure if this was directed at me or not, but the article I posted was a press release put out by US Customs & Border Protection.  It explained, from the point of view of Customs, what they were seizing and why.   

(Also, sometimes things have multiple causes.  It's probably the case that this current shortage is being driven by negligence at Abbott and over-regulation by the FDA and some form of corporate rent-seeking like @moleculo suggested.  None of these things are mutually exclusive.)

 

[Desert_Power]

Not sure if this was directed at me or not, but the article I posted was a press release put out by the US Customs & Border Protection.  It explained, from the point of view of Customs, what they were seizing and why.   

Not directed at you at all, just the weird GG stuff.

We're actually using Bobbie formula. They are a US startup that uses an EU style formulation but makes it in the US to comply with FDA and other regulations.

 

[Gatorman]

I don't believe your information is accurate.  Granted this is per Abbott, but according to them the FDA did not find anything linking their baby formula to the infant's that got ill/died:

John, I knew when I posted it you were not going to believe it.  Bubbles are like that.  Companies tend to drag their feet on Upgrade and maintenance and when they get bit in the butt they do what they can to spin.  

The JnJ Tylenol case from the 90's is the prime example of this. 

In any case: Any company that is more interested in stock buybacks vs improving their capital equipment sucks.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

John, I knew when I posted it you were not going to believe it.  Bubbles are like that.  Companies tend to drag their feet on Upgrade and maintenance and when they get bit in the butt they do what they can to spin.  

The JnJ Tylenol case from the 90's is the prime example of this. 

In any case: Any company that is more interested in stock buybacks vs improving their capital equipment sucks.

So your proof is something similar that happened in the 90s?  I mean a definitive statement like "their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies" ought to be backed up by something a little more verifiable don't you think.

 

[Gatorman]

(Also, sometimes things have multiple causes.  It's probably the case that this current shortage is being driven by negligence at Abbott and over-regulation by the FDA and some form of corporate rent-seeking like @moleculo suggested.  None of these things are mutually exclusive.)

There are definitely multiple causes here, but laying blame to the FDA when all they are doing is enforcing policy is kind of bizarre.  This concept of "over-regulation" in the face of companies (almost doesn't matter the industry) putting short term profits over consumer health is maddening.  We should have someone watching over the quality of our food.  We should have someone watching over the banks. The "monopolization" of all these industries requires a strong consumer advocate, whether it be banking, meat, baby formula, meds, etc etc..

 

[Desert_Power]

So your proof is something similar that happened in the 90s?  I mean a definitive statement like "their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies" ought to be backed up by something a little more verifiable don't you think.

Here is the link from Abbott: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html

 

[Gatorman]

So your proof is something similar that happened in the 90s?  I mean a definitive statement like "their facility that got shut down for the bacterial infection that killed 3 babies" ought to be backed up by something a little more verifiable don't you think.

Again, lets' not deflect.  I posted my proof.  You obviously didn't read it and have no concept of the history of corporations getting out of blame using their PR and Lobbying arm.  Moreover, you are not the arbiter of what needs to be "backed up" anymore than John is (as he discounted my proof bc it doesn't fit his narrative).  If you wish to have a conversation of the tylenol issue of the 90's and how jnj got the FDA to let them off while hey buried all the evidence to the contrary I can point you in the direction of a good book.  Again, that has little to do w baby formula, but has everything to do on how corporations get to spin the narrative as they like.

 

[Gatorman]

Here is the link from Abbott: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html

Thx, DP.  Doubt he reads that either.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Here is the link from Abbott: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html

How does a voluntary recall equate to taking responsibility for 3 baby deaths?

 

[Desert_Power]

There are definitely multiple causes here, but laying blame to the FDA when all they are doing is enforcing policy is kind of bizarre.  This concept of "over-regulation" in the face of companies (almost doesn't matter the industry) putting short term profits over consumer health is maddening.  We should have someone watching over the quality of our food.  We should have someone watching over the banks. The "monopolization" of all these industries requires a strong consumer advocate, whether it be banking, meat, baby formula, meds, etc etc..

Seems like the easiest policy failure to reverse would be the increased tariffs that Trump pushed into "new NAFTA". Not sure if the agreement is structured such that Biden could withdraw these tariffs unilaterally. Feels like something @Henry Ford would know.

 

[moleculo]

There are definitely multiple causes here, but laying blame to the FDA when all they are doing is enforcing policy is kind of bizarre.  This concept of "over-regulation" in the face of companies (almost doesn't matter the industry) putting short term profits over consumer health is maddening.  We should have someone watching over the quality of our food.  We should have someone watching over the banks. The "monopolization" of all these industries requires a strong consumer advocate, whether it be banking, meat, baby formula, meds, etc etc..

exactly.  I'm not one to blindly praise the FDA because their regulations certainly do cause undue headaches, but if Abbot was negligent in upkeep or whatever caused the salmonella, shutting them down was the right and proper thing to do. 

The problem, as I see it, is that we are essentially sole-sourced.  Importing seems difficult.  When I ask why that would be, the answer seems to be onerous red-tape.  When I see things like that, I generally assume it's companies using their lobbying powers to create barriers to entry.  It's especially easy to do if you can wrap an American flag around it and call it "protectionist".

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Again, lets' not deflect.  I posted my proof.  You obviously didn't read it and have no concept of the history of corporations getting out of blame using their PR and Lobbying arm.  Moreover, you are not the arbiter of what needs to be "backed up" anymore than John is (as he discounted my proof bc it doesn't fit his narrative).  If you wish to have a conversation of the tylenol issue of the 90's and how jnj got the FDA to let them off while hey buried all the evidence to the contrary I can point you in the direction of a good book.  Again, that has little to do w baby formula, but has everything to do on how corporations get to spin the narrative as they like.

Deflect?  You mean like by bringing up a Tylenol issue from the 90s?  

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Thx, DP.  Doubt he reads that either.

It's ok to disagree and it's healthy to discuss both sides of a controversy like this.  Ad hominem attacks on the other hand discredit your position, it shows where you're really coming from.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

There are definitely multiple causes here, but laying blame to the FDA when all they are doing is enforcing policy is kind of bizarre.  This concept of "over-regulation" in the face of companies (almost doesn't matter the industry) putting short term profits over consumer health is maddening.  We should have someone watching over the quality of our food.  We should have someone watching over the banks. The "monopolization" of all these industries requires a strong consumer advocate, whether it be banking, meat, baby formula, meds, etc etc..

The policy they're enforcing is stupid.  The FDA is blocking US consumers from purchasing infant formula manufactured in Europe.  That's dumb, because the EU has regulators just like we do, and nobody seriously thinks that there's anything at all dangerous or risky about giving American babies the same formula that millions of European babies have consumed without issue.

If you're upset about the American formula industry becoming a duopoly, then loosening dumb trade and regulatory restrictions is a quick and easy fix.  In this case, the people who you're asking to be watchdogs are actually the people who are making the problem worse, not better.  

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Should be the first post in this thread instead of some bizarre articles.

Not to get too philosophical, but this issue is a small example of how the current ecosystem works. Loud voices grab hold of the rhetoric to blame "the other side". In this case, it took until page 5 of this thread to start illuminating the actual issues that led up to this point. By then it's too late.

 

[John123]

Here is the link from Abbott: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html

That's from February.  I posted their response from AFTER the investigation was completed, which didn't find a link between their baby food and the babies that were ill/died. 

 

[Gatorman]

It's ok to disagree and it's healthy to discuss both sides of a controversy like this.  Ad hominem attacks on the other hand discredit your position, it shows where you're really coming from.

You do not seem to be here for a discussion.  You seem to be here to troll.  If I am in error, I apologize, but your discussion is more about knocking things down than proving anything.

 

[Gatorman]

The policy they're enforcing is stupid.  The FDA is blocking US consumers from purchasing infant formula manufactured in Europe.  That's dumb, because the EU has regulators just like we do, and nobody seriously thinks that there's anything at all dangerous or risky about giving American babies the same formula that millions of European babies have consumed without issue.

If you're upset about the American formula industry becoming a duopoly, then loosening dumb trade and regulatory restrictions is a quick and easy fix.  In this case, the people who you're asking to be watchdogs are actually the people who are making the problem worse, not better.  

Again, I am not disagreeing with that point at all, except that it is not up to the FDA to decide what policies to enforce.  That is up to congress and perhaps an emergency executive order from the POTUS. Until Marijuana was decriminalized if you had some you'd get busted (Most relevant argument I can make here). Again, I am not sure Biden wants to wield exec power the same way Trump did.  If he did, I am sure he could drop the tariffs Trump imposed or give the FDA leeway in the enfoecement of the rules.

 

[Gatorman]

How does a voluntary recall equate to taking responsibility for 3 baby deaths?

I do not think any company who has a legal department would want to "take responsibility" for anything, much less deaths. The recall was to show a reaction to the news and then the legal and PR team can work to absolve them of any wrongdoing (as John pointed out by his posting of the "Post-study" findings).

 

[Stealthycat]

This is not rocket science, folks. Like I said a few days ago, three choices: feed them, starve them, let them go. Take your pick.

option 4 deport

but the best option is seal the border and this problem doesn't exist in our country anymore - it should never have to begin with

 

[Toby2ElectricBugaloo]

option 4 deport

but the best option is seal the border and this problem doesn't exist in our country anymore - it should never have to begin with

"We should discard the Constitution if people violate the law" is a helluva take, amigo.

Not sure if it's up there with your white power tweet from the other thread, but regardless you've having quite a morning!

 

[Nugget]

Infant Formula, Price Controls, and the Misallocation of Resources

I’ve been reluctant to write about the shortage of infant formula simply because it’s so tiring to say the same thing over and over again. Obviously, this is a classic case where the FDA should allow imports of any food or baby formula approved by a stringent authority. (Here’s the US Customs and Border Patrol bragging about how they nabbed 588 cases of infant formula from Germany and the Netherlands as if it were cocaine.) Scott Lincicome has an excellent run down which covers not just the FDA but the problems caused by trade regulation and the WIC program as well.

What I want to do is focus on something less discussed: Why does the shortage vary across the country and even city by city?

 

[Whyatt]

The policy they're enforcing is stupid.  The FDA is blocking US consumers from purchasing infant formula manufactured in Europe.  That's dumb, because the EU has regulators just like we do, and nobody seriously thinks that there's anything at all dangerous or risky about giving American babies the same formula that millions of European babies have consumed without issue.

If you're upset about the American formula industry becoming a duopoly, then loosening dumb trade and regulatory restrictions is a quick and easy fix.  In this case, the people who you're asking to be watchdogs are actually the people who are making the problem worse, not better.  

I understand this line of thinking. But it's not practical, at all, and for many reasons.

First we can agree that the Abbott plant which is currently shut down fits this description exactly:
"nobody seriously thinks that there's anything at all dangerous or risky about giving American babies the same formula that millions of American European babies have consumed without issue."

How are regulators to deal with situations like this without some regulatory authority? For this, and several other reasons, this is not a workable solution.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I understand this line of thinking. But it's not practical, at all, and for many reasons.

First we can agree that the Abbott plant which is currently shut down fits this description exactly:
"nobody seriously thinks that there's anything at all dangerous or risky about giving American babies the same formula that millions of American European babies have consumed without issue."

How are regulators to deal with situations like this without some regulatory authority? For this, and several other reasons, this is not a workable solution.

Great question.  I've been arguing for years that we should establish (in essence) regulatory reciprocity with other developed countries whose regulatory agencies align with our own.  I don't trust Indian regulators, and neither should you.  But I do trust EU regulators.  I'm not super-familiar with their Canadian, Australian, Japanese or Korean counterparts, but those countries are all pretty solid and I would have no worries about me or my family consuming products approved for sale in those countries.

Our default rule should be that if a product is approved for sale in the EU, it should also be approved for sale in the US unless the FDA (or whoever) explicitly and affirmatively states otherwise.  Right now, these products are all banned unless the FDA specifically approves them.  We should reverse that and treat these products as approved unless the FDA specifically bans them.

That would more or less instantly solve our formula shortage.  

 

[Stealthycat]

"We should discard the Constitution if people violate the law" is a helluva take, amigo.

Not sure if it's up there with your white power tweet from the other thread, but regardless you've having quite a morning!

I do put American's first - absolutely 

 

[massraider]

Great question.  I've been arguing for years that we should establish (in essence) regulatory reciprocity with other developed countries whose regulatory agencies align with our own.  I don't trust Indian regulators, and neither should you.  But I do trust EU regulators.  I'm not super-familiar with their Canadian, Australian, Japanese or Korean counterparts, but those countries are all pretty solid and I would have no worries about me or my family consuming products approved for sale in those countries.

Our default rule should be that if a product is approved for sale in the EU, it should also be approved for sale in the US unless the FDA (or whoever) explicitly and affirmatively states otherwise.  Right now, these products are all banned unless the FDA specifically approves them.  We should reverse that and treat these products as approved unless the FDA specifically bans them.

That would more or less instantly solve our formula shortage.  

The brutal irony is Americans should beg for EU food regulations