Families allege that Enfamil premature formula caused necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious intestinal disease, in premature babies. The suits say Mead Johnson, the maker, failed to warn parents and doctors about the risk. The company denies this.
Product liability suits are pending in federal MDL No. 3026 in Illinois and in state courts. The first federal trial, in the Inman case, ended in a defense verdict on September 1, 2026.
Nearly 1,700 similar suits have been filed against Mead Johnson and Abbott Laboratories, and more than 800 are centralized in the Illinois federal court. There is no class action and no Enfamil settlement.
- Case or litigation name: In re: Abbott Laboratories, et al., Preterm Infant Nutrition Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3026)
- Defendants: Mead Johnson & Company (Enfamil, owned by Reckitt Benckiser) and Abbott Laboratories (Similac)
- Court and docket number, when available: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, MDL No. 3026 (JPML pending MDL list)
- MDL number, judge, and case count, when an MDL exists: MDL No. 3026, Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, Northern District of Illinois; more than 800 cases centralized there as of September 1, 2026
- Filing date: April 8, 2022 (JPML transfer order creating MDL 3026)
- Main allegations: Plaintiffs allege that cow’s-milk-based preterm formula such as Enfamil causes necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants and that the maker failed to warn of the risk; the company denies it
- Products or people involved: Premature infants fed Enfamil premature (cow’s-milk-based) formula, and their parents
Table Of Contents
- Latest Enfamil Lawsuit Updates
- September 1, 2026: Federal Jury Sides with Mead Johnson
- August 20, 2026: Abbott Announces $670 Million Settlement
- June 16, 2026: Appeals Court Reverses $60 Million Verdict
- March 18, 2025: Consumer Reports Tests and FDA Initiative
- December 30, 2023: Nutramigen Voluntary Recall
- April 8, 2022: Federal NEC Cases Consolidated
- What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
Latest Enfamil Lawsuit Updates
September 1, 2026: Federal Jury Sides with Mead Johnson
A federal jury in Illinois concluded that Enfamil premature formula did not cause a preterm baby boy to develop NEC [1]. It was the first federal bellwether trial.
Reuters reported the verdict. The plaintiff, Inman, alleged that the company failed to warn her or her son’s doctors about the NEC risk.
August 20, 2026: Abbott Announces $670 Million Settlement
Abbott, which makes Similac, announced a $670 million settlement of claims by about 2,000 people over its preterm formulas [2]. Mead Johnson was not part of that deal.
Abbott said the deal partially resolves the ongoing litigation. It covers a case in which a 2024 jury awarded $495 million to an Illinois mother, Margo Gill. Reuters reported the settlement.
June 16, 2026: Appeals Court Reverses $60 Million Verdict
The Appellate Court of Illinois Fifth District reversed the $60 million verdict against Mead Johnson in the Watson case, Just Food reported [3]. The court sent the case back for a new trial. No date was set.
A St. Clair County jury awarded the $60 million in 2024 to the mother of a baby who died of NEC after Enfamil Premature 24. Her lawyers said they disagreed with the ruling.
March 18, 2025: Consumer Reports Tests and FDA Initiative
Consumer Reports published results of tests of 41 powdered formulas, including Enfamil, for heavy metals, BPA, PFAS and other chemicals [4].
The FDA announced a new initiative to strengthen its oversight of the formula industry the same day, including increased testing.
December 30, 2023: Nutramigen Voluntary Recall
Reckitt and Mead Johnson Nutrition announced a voluntary Nutramigen recall of select batches of powder over possible Cronobacter sakazakii contamination [5].
The FDA posted the notice on December 31, 2023. No illnesses or adverse consumer reactions had been reported to date.
April 8, 2022: Federal NEC Cases Consolidated
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created a multidistrict litigation and sent the federal NEC cases to the Northern District of Illinois. The litigation consolidates cases against Abbott and Mead Johnson.
Plaintiffs contend that cow’s-milk-based preterm infant formula causes NEC. Other cases are pending in state courts in Illinois, Missouri and Pennsylvania.
What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?
According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NEC “is a common disease of the intestinal tract” [6]. The tissue lining the intestine “becomes inflamed, dies, and can slough off.”
The condition “typically affects infants,” and NICHD says preterm and low birth weight babies have a higher risk. The Enfamil suits allege that cow’s-milk-based formula plays a part.
Who May Be Affected?
The litigation concerns babies born prematurely who were fed Enfamil premature formula in a hospital neonatal setting and then developed NEC. In the Inman case, the boy was born at 29 weeks and died soon after birth.
In the Watson case, a News-Gazette column reported that two boys were born in March 2020 and treated in neonatal intensive care. One died of NEC after 25 days [7].
Each family’s facts differ, and only an individual legal review can say whether a claim may exist for your child.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The suits allege NEC, which MedlinePlus describes as “the death of tissue in the intestine” [8]. In some of the cases, the illness was fatal.
MedlinePlus says NEC occurs most often in premature or sick babies. Symptoms it lists include abdominal bloating, blood in the stool, diarrhea, feeding problems and vomiting.
Reuters reported that a 2024 report by U.S. regulatory agencies and a working group convened by the National Institutes of Health says current evidence links higher NEC rates to the absence of breast milk, not to formula use.
Recall and Regulatory Background
The December 2023 Nutramigen recall is separate from the NEC lawsuits, and a recall does not prove liability. The recalled batches are ZL3FRW, ZL3FPE, ZL3FXJ, ZL3FQD, ZL3FMH and ZL3FHG, with UPC 300871239418 or 300871239456.
Questions about Nutramigen can go to Reckitt and Mead Johnson at 866-534-9986 or consumer.relations@rb.com. For other formula recalls, see our baby formula recall lawsuit page.
Evidence to Preserve
Keep these records and items together, and do not discard any formula container that is still in the home:
- Photos of the formula cans or bottles with lot numbers
- Purchase receipts or hospital feeding records showing the name of the formula and when it was given
- The baby’s neonatal intensive care and medical records, including the NEC diagnosis
- Hospital discharge papers
- Communications with the hospital and the manufacturer
Filing Deadlines
State law sets filing deadlines for NEC claims, and the deadline that applies depends on where the family lives and when the illness, the injury or its diagnosis happened.
A missed deadline can end a claim even when the facts are strong, so talk to a lawyer promptly about your child’s case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Serious Is NEC for Premature Babies?
NEC is serious for premature babies, and Reuters gives an estimated mortality rate of more than 20%. The illness can be fatal, and some Enfamil suits involve a baby who died.
Has Anyone Won an Enfamil Lawsuit?
Mead Johnson says it has won Enfamil lawsuits: two earlier trials and an appeal over a third case. A Missouri court also cleared it in 2024. The company says no jury verdicts against it are outstanding.
What Does the Research Say About Formula and NEC?
Research on formula and NEC does not settle the cause. The NICHD says the cause of NEC is not well known and that, in premature infants, it may be related to the immaturity of the child’s digestive system.
How Many People Have NEC Claims Against Formula Makers?
People with NEC claims against formula makers number as many as 12,700, Abbott said. That total includes duplicate filings and claims naming both makers, so it is larger than the number of lawsuits.
References
- https://kfgo.com/?p=1347240
- https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/08/21/882383.htm
- https://www.just-food.com/?p=208353
- https://www.consumerreports.org/babies-kids/baby-formula/baby-formula-contaminants-test-results-a7140095293/
- https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/reckittmead-johnson-nutrition-voluntarily-recalls-select-batches-nutramigen-hypoallergenic-infant
- https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/nec
- https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-baby-milk-court-cases-swamping-state-federal-dockets-in-illinois/article_312b320e-ae0d-4758-bb5f-e050ed56196f.html
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001148.htm