Late last week, NACDS participated in a listening session with FDA Commissioner Califf and a handful of stakeholder groups to discuss on the ground insights regard the infant supply formula shortage. After conducting a quick poll of chain pharmacy members to compile members’ questions, concerns, and experiences, NACDS shared these issues with Commissioner Califf and his senior staff who were eager to engage in conversation and learn more. The agency remains focused on alleviating the shortage by addressing issues with supply, exercising enforcement discretion and supporting distribution efforts to get more infant formula on retailers’ shelves.

The valuable, detailed input from NACDS members contributed to a meaningful and robust discussion related to clear public education around the safety of infant formula, including new to market products being imported via Operation Fly Formula; the need to help  ensure fair and equitable distribution across retailers to support parents’ access to formula regardless of their local store; challenges with specialty formulas and whether chain pharmacy might be leveraged in the short-term to support infants with greatest needs; and issues related to intergovernmental communications on the issue. Altogether, the discussion provided key insights to FDA that will help the agency prioritize its next steps in addressing these issues.

Overall, this meeting with Commissioner Califf provided an exceptional opportunity to share how the industry is deeply engaged on this critical public health issue. We highlighted how pharmacies are working to help parents during this time and to communicate what more retailers need from FDA to better serve their customers. NACDS appreciates the tremendous work of our members to help address infant formula supply shortages in the communities they serve.

Commissioner Califf stated the conversation was productive and suggested continued listening sessions with the same group in the future. Further, he asked his team to look into the conversation NACDS spearheaded on how retail pharmacy could be further leveraged in the short-term to support infants with greatest needs. As a follow-up, his staff provided the following resources for infant formula that may be useful for retailers:

HHS

• Information for Families During the Formula Shortage
• Urgent Product Requests: Abbott Metabolic Formulas & Similac PM 60/40
• List of Comparable Formulas

FDA

• Enforcement Discretion to Manufacturers to Increase Infant Formula Supplies
• Tips for preparing imported infant formula (FDA’s Conversion Chart)
• FDA Efforts to Result in Millions of Additional Bottles of Infant Formula to Further Increase U.S. Supply
• FDA Encourages Importation of Safe Infant Formula and Other Flexibilities to Further Increase Availability
• Press Announcements