In response to questions about marketing practices, the Abbott spokesman sent a further statement: Our field employees are also visiting hospitals and doctors’ offices to recover the product.' 'Abbott has sent written and email correspondence to those who received samples from the company with instructions on how to return the samples. 'If product is affected by the recall, do not use it and go to or call 1-80 to obtain a refund or replacement. 'We value the trust parents place in us for high quality and safe nutrition and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep that trust and resolve this situation,' Abbott spokesman Jonathon Hamilton wrote in an email. Similac is a product of healthcare company Abbott. The FDA has not confirmed any cases of illnesses related to the formula in Tennessee. When the recall hit, some Memphis hospitals had to throw out their stock of the formula, some hospital representatives said.

That leads to promotions like the boxes sent to our home and to other tactics, such as the free samples routinely made available at hospitals in cities like Memphis.

does not regulate the marketing of infant formula, researchers with the University of Connecticut and New York University wrote in a 2020 article. Many countries have put all or part of the guidelines into law.īut the U.S. The World Health Organization adopted guidelines in 1981 that restrict the advertising of infant formula and bar tactics such as giving free samples to mothers and promoting formula in health care settings. These and other marketing practices have caused controversy for decades.Ĭritics have argued that the marketing of infant formula around the world pushes mothers away from breastfeeding, which is generally considered the healthiest option for children. The situation highlights food companies' common practice of giving out free samples of infant formula through the mail, through hospitals and in other settings.

Free samples of enfamil