Batch of Enfamil pulled out in USA not sold in PHL—FDA

A newborn milk product that was recently pulled out of shelves in the United States for a possible link to the death of an infant there is not sold in the Philippines, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

 

In a statement, the Philippine FDA said Enfamil Premium Newborn produced by US manufacturer Mead Johnson Nutrition "is not marketed in the Philippines."

 

"The FDA has conducted inspections in stores to ensure that the above cited product has not been distributed locally," FDA acting director Suzette Lazo said.

 

She added the FDA is now closely monitoring developments concerning the investigation of the US FDA and US Center for Disease Control on the incident.

 

Lazo cited reports the product in question was recently pulled out of US store shelves after it was announced that there may be a possibility of a linkage to the death of an infant due to an infection from a type of bacteria, Cronobacter sakazakii, after consuming the product.

 

But she also noted laboratory analyses conducted by Mead Johnson USA have so far yielded negative results for the presence of the bacteria. 

 

In an e-mail response to GMA News Online, Mead Johnson Nutrition (Philippines) said the product in question “is produced and sold exclusively in the US.”

 

“We have been informed that the infant had been fed with several formula products, including ours (Enfamil Premium Newborn)… At this point, our US offices are providing information to the US FDA as they review the matter,” it said in a statement.

 

On the other hand, Lazo encouraged mothers to engage in breastfeeding.

 

"The Philippines FDA adheres by the Milk Code and fully supports the use of breastmilk for infants and young children," she said. –With Rose-An Dioquino/KG, GMA News