Whitfield v. St. Louis Children's Hospital, et al.

Summary

A Missouri state court jury delivered the first defense verdict in favor of baby formula manufacturers Abbott and Mead Johnson unit Reckitt, who faced accusations of producing cows milk-based formula supposedly harmful to premature infants.

The St. Louis jury returned their verdict following a five-week trial that marked just the third time a jury heard claims that cows milk-based formula can cause a dangerous bowel condition called necrotising enterocolitis, or NEC. Earlier trials resulted in plaintiff verdicts against Abbott and Reckitt individually, but this case was the first joint trial involving both companies.

Outcome

Defense verdict