HHS, FDA Unveil ‘Operation Stork Speed’ to Expand Access to Infant Formula

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is launching a renewed effort to ensure the “ongoing quality, safety, nutritional adequacy and resilience” of the infant formula supply in the United States.

The initiative, dubbed “Operation Stork Speed,” is a collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration.

“The FDA will use all resources and authorities at its disposal to make sure infant formula products are safe and wholesome for the families and children who rely on them,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a written statement.

“Helping each family and child get off to the right start from birth is critical to our pursuit to Make America Healthy Again,” he said.

Among other steps the FDA is taking as part of the initiative is increasing testing for heavy metals and other contaminants in infant formula and other foods children consume.

The agency is also encouraging companies to develop new infant formulas and work with the FDA on methods for achieving increased transparency and clearer labeling of their products.

In the coming months, the FDA will publish a requisition for information aimed at kickstarting the first comprehensive update and review of infant formula nutrients by the FDA since 1998.

The FDA will also be collaborating with the National Institutes of Health and other scientific bodies to address priority scientific research gaps regarding short- and long-term health outcomes associated with formula feeding in infancy and childhood across the lifespan.

“The FDA is deeply committed to ensuring that moms and other caregivers of infants and young children and other individuals who rely on infant formula for their nutritional needs have confidence that these products are safe, consistently available, and contain the nutrients essential to promote health and well-being during critical stages of development and life,” said acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner in an accompanying statement. 

“Whether breastfed, bottle fed or both, the rising generation must be nourished in a way that promotes health and longevity over the course of their lives,” she said.

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