A U.S. court has fined Abbott Laboratories nearly $500 million for allegedly concealing the fatal disease risks associated with its infant formula. The case involved a premature baby girl who reportedly developed brain damage after being fed Abbott’s Similac Special Care 24, a cow’s milk-based formula.
A jury in St. Louis state court ordered Abbott to pay $95 million to compensate the family for their losses and an additional $400 million in punitive damages, according to Tor Hoerman, the lead lawyer for the plaintiff. This marks the first case against the company to go to trial, with over 1,000 similar claims pending against Abbott and other formula manufacturers.
In response, an Abbott spokesperson stated that the company “strongly disagreed” with the verdict and emphasized that it was not unanimous. “We will pursue all avenues to have the erroneous decision overturned,” said Scott Stoffel in an emailed statement.
The lawsuit centered on allegations that Abbott’s premature infant formula can cause necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially fatal bowel disease, which led to the baby girl’s severe condition.
