WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators will announce action on baby formula imports as soon as Monday to address a nationwide shortage that has left parents scrambling to feed their babies, the Food and Drug Administration's chief said.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf provided no details, but President Joe Biden said last week he was working to allow more formula to come in from other countries.
Califf told NBC News he does not expect the shortage of the critical baby product to last until the end of year, adding on CNN that he expects the situation to gradually improve.
The White House separately said it was continuing talks with the major formula manufacturers to identify logistical hurdles and provide any transportation support that could help them and major retailers get formula to where it is needed.
"This is principally an issue of production more than goods movement," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters at a White House briefing.
Empty or low-stock shelves stem partly from a February recall of some formulas by one of the nation's main manufacturers, Abbott Laboratories after a Michigan plant was shuttered over bacteria issues. The shortages have also been compounded by supply-chain snags and historic inflation, leaving about 40% of baby formula products out of stock nationwide, data shows.
