Abbott Laboratories $70M NEC Verdict

A Chicago jury ordered Abbott Laboratories to pay $70 million in damages to four families who accused the company of failing to warn that its cow's milk-based formula for premature infants could cause necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The verdict includes $53 million in compensatory damages and $17 million in punitive damages. Abbott Laboratories has denied the claims and plans to appeal the verdict, stating that science was ignored. This case is one of nearly 1,000 lawsuits filed against Abbott Laboratories and Reckitt Benckiser — Mead Johnson, a unit of Reckitt, alleging their formulas cause NEC. Previous trials have yielded mixed results, with some significant awards against the companies and some dismissals. The litigation has raised concerns, with Abbott Laboratories CEO Robert Ford suggesting that preterm products might become unavailable due to the legal challenges. Regulatory agencies and scientific groups, including the United States — National Institutes of Health, have also weighed in, with a 2024 report suggesting that the absence of breast milk, rather than formula exposure, is associated with an increase in NEC incidence.