Tennessee Governor Bill Lee releases guidance regarding formula shortage crisis

On May 20, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) released the following actions and guidance regarding the nationwide infant formula shortage.
“As parents across the country face empty shelves at the grocery store, we’re reminded just how important a stable supply chain is for Tennessee families,” said Lee. “We thank grocers and retailers for doing their part as we pull every lever to give Tennesseans in crisis the resources they need – but ultimately, it’s time for the federal government to do all they can to deregulate, ease restrictions and get formula back on the shelves.”
Tennessee families impacted by the infant formula shortage are encouraged to use the following resources:
Resources
Read guidance about formula substitution and warnings about altering formula at https://healthychildren .org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx
Call your local foodbank to ask if they have infant formula in stock at https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
Check your formula’s lot code to see if it was affected by the recall at https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/product-lookup.html
Find a list of formula substitutions for your child at https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/program-areas/wic/TN-WIC-Temporary-Formula-Substitutions.pdf
Families who qualify for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) can find additional resources at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/fhw/wic.html
“It’s our top priority to ensure the health and wellbeing of all Tennessee children,” said TDH Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP. “We encourage families impacted by the formula shortage to use Tennessee Department of Health guidance to make informed decisions as we continue to seek solutions for this crisis.”
Breastmilk + Breastmilk Donation
Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee, a non-profit organization that provides donor milk to vulnerable babies in the NICU, is accepting breastmilk donations from nursing mothers. Learn more and donate at https://www.milkbanktn.org/.