Mead Johnson Welcomes Defense Verdict in Whitfield Case

• Missouri State Court jury finds all defendants not liable
• Verdict is consistent with the scientific consensus and the views of the FDA, CDC, and NIH

Mead Johnson welcomes today’s jury verdict in defendants’ favor in the Whitfield case in Missouri State Court. It demonstrates that the claims in this case were not supported by the science or experts in the medical community, and this case, like all the others brought by the plaintiff’s bar, should be dismissed. This outcome illustrates that moving forward, plaintiffs face significant challenges due to the heavy burden they must meet in proving elements of their claims in every single case.

Today’s verdict is consistent with the scientific consensus that there is no established causal link between the use of specialized preterm hospital nutrition products and NEC, and that where human milk is unavailable or when supplementation is necessary, specialized preterm hospital nutrition products can provide essential, lifesaving nutrition.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have jointly stated: “For infants where the supply of human milk is insufficient, these formulas are part of the standard of care for premature infants…There is no conclusive evidence that preterm infant formula causes NEC.” Moreover, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Providing special formula is a routine and necessary part of care of these preterm infants…[T]he causes [of NEC] are multifaceted and not completely understood. Our science does not tell us exactly how to prevent it.”

We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves against all other cases in the interest of safeguarding the health of premature babies.

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