In the United States, the court issued a verdict in the first of 400 lawsuits against the manufacturer of infant formula

A jury in the state of Illinois (USA) ruled that Mead Johnson – a division of Reckitt Benckiser – must pay $60 million to the mother of a premature baby who died of an intestinal disease caused by infant formula.

The jury found that Mead Johnson was negligent in failing to warn consumers that their products could cause a dangerous disease, writes Reuters.

We are talking about necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) – a disease that provokes the death of intestinal tissues and mainly affects premature newborns. Its mortality rate ranges from 15 to 40%.

The verdict includes compensation to plaintiff Jasmine Watson for the loss and grief she suffered, as well as the pain and suffering of her child, Chance Dean.

The National Institutes of Health of the United States emphasizes the convincing evidence that formula milk contains more risks for premature babies compared to breast milk.

“This verdict confirms that cow’s milk-based infant formula causes NEC in premature infants, often with fatal consequences.” – said the plaintiff’s lawyer, Ben Whiting.

The company plans to appeal the verdict.

“We are convinced that the allegations in this case have not been supported by science or experts in the medical community,” – said Mead Johnson.

This is the first of more than four hundred similar lawsuits pending in federal court in Chicago.

The plaintiffs allege the company concealed the fact that its formula milks, particularly products made specifically for premature babies, were riskier than alternatives such as donor milk.

We used to published doctor’s advice on how to feed a breastfed baby and what to replace the formula during the war.