[CNN] FDA is ‘working around the clock’ to address baby formula shortage, Psaki says

Not having kids this crisis hasn't affected me but I do think this is a problem of protectionism and how good intentions can go wrong. The idea that local governments could use leverage WIC to negotiate good deals with formula manufacturers and in turn keep jobs here in the US sounds great on paper and is why many on both sides of the political aisle pushed this. That inevitably leads to more concentration in a handful of manufacturers. As we seen when even one major manufacturer has problems we get shortages and because of protectionist policies makes it difficult to make those up.

Baby formula is the current example but we've seen other examples in things like meat production where during COVID meat packing plants were hit hard.

Things like this should be a reminder of why we need more competition and wider sourcing of many things. I get why many don't like globalization but a crisis like this is exactly why globalization is essential to a large and vibrant economy.

 

dont **** your labour base by shipping your manufacturing industries to $2 a day countries isnt the same as become an autarky

 

Just an FYI - If you blend bananas, avocado and coconut water - you have the perfect baby formula.

 

Wat.

 

what if you throw in some rum?

 

That could apply to some industries but not this one. The problem in this crisis is that there are only a handful of large domestic manufacturers and there are policies in place that prevent the easy importation of formula from other countries.

The baby formula industry is pretty much the model that many look to fight globalization. It largely stayed domestic helped by large government contracts while regulatory barriers protect it from foreign competition or outsourcing labor. The problem that can happen though when you protect your domestic market is exactly what we're seeing. When something goes wrong you have a hard time sourcing from foreign suppliers.

 

They'll sleep just fine

 

As someone earlier alluded, sure we might think we get European quality goods by opening up borders, but free trade generally races to the bottom and we potentially get China quality scams.

Offshoring/outsourcing pharmaceutical base chemicals from China caused major headaches in our supply chain sourcing. We pretty much trust most of what the drugs say they are since we don't have that many inspectors to verify what comes to our shores.

 

Yes there are problems and risks with off shoring and outsourcing but over the long run it has proven the best way to provide us with access to more good and at lower prices. Off shoring and outsourcing doesn't mean we do away with the FDA and other regulatory standards. We import a lot of food from other countries and in general we have very few cases of food borne illnesses because we still continue to inspect food. For that matter many foreign producers will produce following the standards of the countries that they import too. In the EU stricter standards have meant that countries wanting to sell there have improved their products to meet those standards. There trade rather than a race to the bottom has actually lifted the standards.

 

They need to focus on approving Delta-9 THC.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/22/politics/baby-formula-us-military-aircraft/index.html

 

Why even worry about baby formula right now? We have real issues like Ukraine and people still aren't using the correct and desired pronouns... We first must defeat freedom of speech and Elon Musk.... So many problems and this is what they worry about? Have they not even listened to one word Fauci has said? Sad....

 

You've got those Sunday jokes, eh? Let the babies drink contaminated formula or better yet we could import some from the CCP, I heard it's only of the best quality. Maybe if we wouldn't allow just a couple companies to produce something that's so vital to life we wouldn't be in this situation.

The GOP loves ya...until you come out the womb then it's all about those bootstraps baby.


192 REPUBLICANS DECIDE THEY’D LIKE FORMULA-SEEKING PARENTS TO KEEP SUFFERING

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/republicans-formula-bills-note-votes

 

So we agree that there are more important things that aren't getting looked at by the current government because they are too busy addressing the most stupid things you can think of and its actually real not a joke....

Rinos exist, I get it.... They have been around and always will be.