Similac Recall Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Bug-Infested Baby Formula

Baby formula lawsuit over Similac bug contamination alleges Abbott Laboratories failed to put adequate quality control measures in place

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A mother has filed a Similac class action lawsuit against Abbott Laboratories, alleging that the company deceptively promoted the infant formula as safe, despite the fact that Similac may be infested with small beetles, which could cause gastrointestinal problems and difficulty feeding. 

The baby formula class action lawsuit was filed by Kathleen A. Bradner in federal court in New Orleans, coming the day after the announcement of a Similac recall for 5 million units that may be contaminated with bugs.

Bradner claims that the company failed to put adequate quality control measures in place to make sure that Similac baby formula powder was safe and free of beetles. The lawsuit accuses Abbott Laboratories of negligence, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, breach of warranty and strict liability, among other charges.

The Similac formula class action is asking the court to grant buyers a refund and seeks punitive, compensatory and special damages, as well as court costs and attorney fees. The lawsuit also asks the court to order Abbott to stop misrepresenting Similac.

Abbott issued a recall of Similac infant formula last week after discovering beetle contamination, which occurred at the company’s Sturgis, Michigan, production facility.

While Abbott claims that testing has shown that 99.8% of the recalled products are free of bugs, concerned parents have swamped Abbott’s website, social media, news and parenting forums across the internet with concerns and fears that their children may have consumed or gotten ill due to eating Similac with insects.

The recall is having a worldwide impact, with Saudi Arabia announcing on Monday that it would ban Similac, despite Abbott limiting the recall to the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and countries in the Caribbean.

The FDA has said that the beetle contamination does not represent an immediate health risk, but could cause gastrointestinal discomfort in infants and result in a refusal to eat.

Earlier this week, Senator Tom Harkin sent a letter to Abbott Laboratories, asking them to confirm the FDA’s assessment of the Similac formula health risks, and also asked why it appears the company waited a week after discovering the problem before issuing the recall.

Tags: Abbott, Baby Formula, Infant Formula, Michigan, New Orleans, Similac

More Baby Formula Lawsuit Stories

Update from February 2011 and November 2021:

After a number of other individuals filed a Similac class action lawsuit raising similar allegations over problems from the bug-infested baby formula, a motion was filed in January 2011 to consolidate the Similac litigation in the federal court system. However, that request was denied during a hearing of the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) on February 4, 2011.

About ten years later, in 2021, Abbott Laboratories faced a new round of litigation with hundreds of families of premature babies pursuing a NEC lawsuit over the failure to warn that the cow’s milk formula may increase the risk of a serious and life-threatening injury in the NICU, known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Similar allegations have been raised in NEC Enfamil lawsuits filed against Mead Johnson, another popular cow’s milk-based formula.

BABY FORMULA NEC LAWSUITS

Was your premature child fed Similac or Enfamil?

Premature infants fed Similac or Enfamil cow’s milk formula face an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or wrongful death.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION
Enfamil Similac NEC Lawsuit
Enfamil Similac NEC Lawsuit

BABY FORMULA NEC LAWSUITS

Was your premature child fed Similac or Enfamil?

Premature infants fed Similac or Enfamil cow’s milk formula face an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or wrongful death.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

113 Comments

Georgie
Now I understand what could have been wrong with my 7 mth old son, up till I changed his formula and several doctors visits.
Fatima
My one month and half baby has been crying and very fussy , also having diahrea all the time , and this week she’s having some rush , am taking her to the doctor friday oct 01 again . It’s not right what happening to all the baby’s ….
Shonda
I have a question, not comment. How can I have my 2 containers tested to see if they are infected? I filled out a form on similac’s website and they sent me a box to ship the products back. I have not shipped it off yet because I would really like to find out if mine contained bugs. My daughter had a horrible 3 weeks of vomiting, not eating, and fussiness and as soon as I heard about the recall, I went and got the ready made and she has been a different baby. I have daycare that can back me up on this. I took her off the recalled container and she has been a happy baby who loves to eat.
Alexandra
Will this be an action that other parents can be involved in?
Eddie
we have twins and we feed them a lot of this junk . I am piss off i still have one of the package that is recalled . we dump it in the trash after spending money on this crap . the lot number is also on the 34 oz which they are not tell you that info . I never like the powder i like the can mile but there mom said lets get the powder . I knew i did not like it for some reason now i know i was feeding my kids bugs and bug dodo . i am a parent i did not think i would have to check new milk that comes from a company we feed our babys .
Douglas
my (7 week old)son was ill with stomach problems for about 5 weeks we had gone to the doctors and they recommended switching to soy similac..so we did and that was not working so then we requested a prescription for prevacid and that only made the pain worse.After reading about the recall on the Web we immediately switched formula companys and our baby boy has been fine
MArilyn
My now 5 mos old son has been to the Doctor office 3+ times over the last few months due to GI issues that were all misdiagnosed and due to the Similac formula contamination. The doctor said the time line of health issues was right on track with the time that we switched him from Gerber Good start to Similac. He has suffered many rough days and nights and had to endure the changing of 3 types of formula on his little system (Soy , Sensitive and then Regular). The doctors were perplexed as to why he had so much diarrhea, spit up, gassy issues and pain in his abdomen causing extreme fussiness and pain. I am beyond infuriated that my son had to suffer needlessly!
SUMMER
MY BABY WHO IS NOW 4 MONTHS OLD DRANK SIMILAC PRODUCTS I HAVE 2 EMPTY PLASTIC CONTAINERS OF THE SIMILAC SENSITIVE THAT SHE ALREADY DRANK THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED MY DAUGHTER IS NOW LACTOSE INTALORENT SHE WAS AT 1 TIME POOPING BLOOD I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE DUE TO THE RECALL
Nina
My daughter was sick for two weeks because of similac’s negligence. My niece was sick as well and spent three days in the hospital. We trusted this company to feed our babies and give them nourishments, when in fact they did the opposite.
Brittany
Thank goodness someone is standing up and doing something about this disgusting recall. Having 4 month twins is ruff enough on a mother, let alone making numerous doctor appts and missing work to go to radiology for a scan on the abdomen, becasue my little girl would not eat, and had dehydration from diarreh. And little did I know that I was feeding her beetle larva and parts. The guilt will be apart of our lives forever. And it makes me sick that they acctually waited a week to let us know. I am returning 13 cans to Abbot for a full refund, and I hope the company suffers in a large way. I know people say that many of our foods we consume have some bug parts and such and nothing is done about it, well these are infants! These babies dont have the immunity to fight off investations. And the warehouse should be routingly checked everyday for things like this. Please keep me updated on this lawsuit.
jeanny
My daughter has been drinking this formula since she was born. As soon as this recall came out, I stopped feeding her formula. It is inexcusable to find something like bugs in the formula. Formula should be safe.My baby has been sick and not herself. I will take her to the doctors and go from there.
Lisa
my son has been sick and we have documented dr visits trying to figure out why. He has been on this formula and I have the container that we used that was recalled. I’d like to join the suit
michael
I have had my son on similac until i found out about the recall. He was very ill throwing up and diharia screaming and crying. It has been almost a week now and his stool has not gotten any better even after switching formula. He consumed almost 2 containers wich i refuse to take back to the store incase anything which is longterm comes from this.
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