{
  "id": 2257218,
  "title": "Abbott to pay US$670mil to settle some preterm infant formula cases",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/abbott-to-pay-us-670mil-to-settle-some-preterm-infant-formula-cases",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T23:42:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/08/21/abbott-to-pay-us-670mil-to-settle-some-preterm-infant-formula-cases"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Abbott has agreed to a $670 million settlement in an effort to resolve some of the legal claims related to its specialized infant formula products intended for preterm infants. The case involves approximately 2,000 individuals who allege that the company's products caused harm. One notable case saw an Illinois mother awarded $495 million, as a jury found that Abbott's formula contributed to her daughter's development of necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious bowel condition. Despite not admitting liability, Abbott confirmed the settlement as progress towards concluding the larger litigation. The company produces Similac formulas and maintains confidence in their safety. Currently, about 1,700 lawsuits are filed against Abbott and Mead Johnson, the manufacturer of Enfamil formulas. The settlement aims to address duplicate and unsupported claims, with Abbott working to eliminate these. Despite facing potential claims from up to 12,700 individuals, Abbott is concentrating on removing redundant and unsubstantiated cases. The settlement doesn't include an admission of guilt, and attorneys for the plaintiff in the 2024 case, Margo Gill, have not commented yet. These specialty products, which include cow's milk-based formula and mother's milk fortifiers for hospitalized infants, are distinct from standard formulas available in stores. Regulatory agencies and a National Institutes of Health working group report that higher incidences of NEC are primarily associated with the lack of breast milk rather than formula usage.",
  "summary": "Hundreds of lawsuits allege that Abbott's cow's milk-based formula products for preterm infants can cause a dangerous bowel disease.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Abbott to pay US$670mil to settle some preterm infant formula cases",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/abbott-to-pay-us-670mil-to-settle-some-preterm-infant-formula-cases-2260110",
        "published": "2026-08-20T23:42:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}