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Abbott Laboratories Agrees to $385 Million Settlement Over Baby Formula Contamination
Just the facts
Abbott Laboratories agreed to pay $384.5 million to resolve a federal civil False Claims Act lawsuit concerning unsanitary conditions and Cronobacter bacterial contamination at its powdered infant formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan. Justice Department prosecutors alleged that Abbott caused government programs to purchase infant formula manufactured in facilities with known roof leaks and unaddressed microorganism contamination risks. Senior Justice Department leadership previously directed prosecutors to close a parallel criminal investigation into the matter without felony charges. Abbott Laboratories stated the civil settlement involves no finding of liability or fault and noted that tests on unopened formula packages during the 2022 product recall returned negative results.
Why this is news
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that baby formula manufacturer Abbott Laboratories agreed to pay $384.5 million to settle a civil False Claims Act lawsuit.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.