Abbott Ordered To Pay $495 Million for not Warning About a Specialized Formula for Premature Babies
A jury in Missouri state court in St. Louis on Friday ordered Abbott Laboratories to pay $495 million in damages to the mother of a girl who, as an infant, developed irreversible neurological damage as a result of an Abbott specialized formula for premature infants. Testimony indicated Abbott knew of the risk that the formula could cause a potentially fatal bowel disease.
An Illinois resident brought the case against Abbott, alleging the company failed to warn that its formula could cause a potentially deadly disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature babies. Her daughter survived but will require long-term care.
The jury awarded her $95 million in compensatory damages and $400 million in punitive damages. The jury verdict was not unanimous, but with nine of the 12 jurors agreeing, it did meet the three-quarters threshold for civil cases of this type in Missouri.
It’s apparently the first of hundreds of similar claims over the formula pending in courts around the country, according to Reuters.
An Abbott spokesman quoted by Reuters said specialized formulas and fortifiers, like the one in this case, are among the only available options to feed premature infants. Other media reported that it’s likely to remain in use in hospitals, although with warnings.
