Newborn Health
**Updated November 14**
Idaho WIC Formula Recall Response through January 31, 2023
Idaho WIC has received three waivers allowing flexibility to meet formula needs during this Similac formula recall.
The waivers include:
- Medical documentation form (MDF) not required to provide non-contract formula for infants. Any medical formula will still require a WIC Medical Documentation Form.
- Flexibility in maximum monthly allowance (MMA) of non-contract formula issued to accommodate various can sizes
- Formula exchange or refunds for vendors allows vendors to treat WIC participants’ purchases like any other customer purchase regarding this formula recall.
Idaho WIC has received three additional waivers allowing further flexibility, one for food package 3/ special authorizations and two for imported formulas.
Food package 3/ Special Authorization formulas:
- Increased flexibility in maximum monthly allowance (MMA) amount to accommodate various can sizes.
Imported formulas:
These waivers apply to food packages 1 and 2 ONLY.
- Participants may buy infant formula from manufacturers not registered with the FDA.
- Participants may buy formulas that do not meet the iron and caloric content in federal regulations.
Idaho WIC has continued permission to provide non-contract formula through January 31st, 2023.
At the store through January 31st, Participants can select from several non-contract infant formulas and various container sizes that were not previously WIC authorized based on availability. Ready-to-feed (RTF) and concentrate options are not included as these were not affected by the recall. This information is available on the WIC Formula Options handout attached.
Formula food packages requiring Medical Documentation
The Medical Documentation Form waiver is only applicable to infants receiving contract formula. All infants that receive Alimentum or EleCare and all children over 1 years of age receiving a recalled formula will need to get an updated Medical Documentation Form before being issued a non-contract formula or a different medical formula. Medical Documentation forms may include more than one formula on the MDFs.
This guidance is current as of 11/14/22 and is subject to change if waivers are extended or the current issue is unable to be fixed by January 31st, 2023. We will keep you updated with any changes as we are made aware.
Links & Resources
- NEW Infant Nutrition Guidelines Key Takeaways (website)
- Small Moments, Big Impact: An App for New Mothers (website)
- Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) Report (pdf)
- Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) Screening (website)
During the 2018 Idaho legislative session, rules were added to existing Idaho Administrative Code 16.02.12 - Procedures and Testing to be Performed on Newborn Infants, to include screening for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) using pulse oximetry. Effective July 1, 2018 screening for CCHD is mandated for all Idaho newborns. - Infant Mortality Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) (pdf)
The CoIIN is a state-driven, collaborative, multi-state initiative to reduce infant mortality and disparities in birth outcomes by using quality improvement science, collaborative learning, and innovation to identify evidence-based approaches. - Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths (pdf)
- Idaho State Baby Facts (pdf)
- Newborn screening (website editorial)
September is Newborn Screening Awareness Month, a good time to talk about why Idaho should require a lifesaving, simple test called pulse oximetry. - Sleep machines at full volume may be damaging to infant hearing (website)
- Call to Action for Hearing Screen Referrals (pdf)
- Newborn Hearing Screening Checklist (pdf)