RFK Jr.’s Infant Formula Review: What Parents Should Know
The federal government is initiating its first comprehensive examination of infant formula nutrients in almost three decades. While this may raise concerns for some families, pediatric experts emphasize that there is no cause for alarm. Infant formula approved by the FDA remains one of the most strictly regulated food products in the nation and is entirely safe.
Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believe a renewed assessment is necessary. On Tuesday, the agencies announced they had requested information regarding the nutrients in infant formula.
This review is part of Operation Stork Speed, an initiative launched in March aimed at “ensuring the safety, reliability, and nutritional adequacy of infant formula for American families,” according to . While the review’s leadership remains unclear, the FDA plans to convene a panel of experts in June, with the proceedings open to the public.
“Operation Stork Speed brings radical transparency to ingredients in infant formula and puts science front and center,” stated in the press release. “Every child has a fundamental right to a healthy start. We’re giving parents the truth and the tools to make that happen.”
Could infant formula change?
Experts acknowledge the importance of efforts to guarantee the optimal nutrients in infant formula. However, they caution that this review does not indicate that infant formula is unsafe, nor do they anticipate significant alterations.
According to , the FDA “regularly reviews individual nutrient requirements for infant formula,” but the last thorough review was in 1998. Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrics professor at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, considers a comprehensive analysis “overdue” due to scientific advancements and updated guidelines since 1998. Abrams, scheduled to attend the June FDA meeting, stresses the need for a slow, cautious, and rigorous research approach. He, along with other experts, aims “to make sure that [the review] doesn’t become motivated by concerns that infant formula, as it currently exists, is inherently unsafe. That’s not true.”
Dr. Mark Corkins, a pediatrics professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, suggests the review might lead to recommendations for slight increases in certain nutrients, such as Vitamin D, and slight decreases in others, like iron. However, he adds, “I don’t think there’s going to be any huge, earth-shaking changes that comes out of this.”
What do parents need to know?
Experts reassure families that there is no need to be concerned about the safety of FDA-approved infant formula, which is a safe alternative to breastfeeding.
Abrams advises families or use other nutritionally inadequate, and potentially dangerous alternatives, such as or .
“I would be devastated if a parent saw this request for information and then felt nervous about an infant formula product that they’re using with their baby,” says Bridget Young, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “My plea to parents would be to take a deep breath. They are safe; you do not need to worry about the safety of our current products.”