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Comment by missedthecue | Hacker News Reader

On the other hand, the FDA continues to block the import of European manufactured formula.

They also blocked the use of Thalidomide [0], which was available over the counter in Europe. They get a lot of credit for doing that, in my opinion.

The important question is why are they blocking European formula? Is there a nutrition deficit? Are there contaminants or is it adulterated? A failure to follow Good Manufacturing Processes? [1] Or is it just that approval is still in process?

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide_scandal

[1] https://www.fda.gov/food/current-good-manufacturing-practice...

The Thalidomide scandal occurred over 50 years ago--the FDA of that era is certainly not the same FDA of the modern era. Other federal agencies like the FAA have, in that time period, transformed from world leaders in advocation for safety to shells of their former selves peddling corporate interests.

Someone has to do the blocking - reliable domestic food supply is a matter of national security.

Yes but apparently previous blockings were done by issues like minor labelling issues. Which of course have to be followed, but put a sticker on the bottle instead of block the import.

If you open the market, you’ll get Americans products to be inspected by the EU, which is better at its job than the FDA.

If you open the market now, wouldn't European countries struggle to get formula because US has a much higher buying capacity?

Right but we're here because the domestic food supply is... Unreliable at the moment for baby formula. So we can't import European formula because we need to protect the domestic food supply for national security? Wtf?

I bought all my baby formula imported from Austria. Fuck that shit, don’t trust American companies. And with all this news, glad I made that decision.

Highly unfortunate that their are families in the “greatest country in the world” who now have to literally scavenge for formula.

Huh? They’ve already issued multiple recalls for European formula too.

How smug are you now?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/nov/23/foodanddrink

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