Abbott Laboratories has settled its appeal of a $495 million verdict related to its specialized formula for premature infants. The settlement terms were not disclosed in the court filings. According to court documents filed Monday in a Missouri appeals court, the company had been challenging a 2024 verdict that determined its infant formula caused an Illinois girl to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a dangerous bowel disease.
Background on NEC Cases
About 1,000 similar lawsuits have been filed against Abbott and Mead Johnson, a unit of Reckitt that manufactures Enfamil formulas, with over 800 cases consolidated in an Illinois federal court. NEC primarily affects premature newborns and causes the death of bowel tissue, with an estimated mortality rate exceeding 20%.
Company Response
The companies have stated that while breast milk provides protection against NEC, their formulas do not cause the condition, and maintain that the protective benefits of breast milk have been well-established among medical professionals.
