Mead Johnson Wins First Federal Baby Formula NEC Lawsuit Trial

Mead Johnson has prevailed in a landmark trial over claims that certain cow’s milk formulas caused a devastating intestinal condition in premature infants.

That case was closely watched as a bellwether for hundreds of other baby formula lawsuits filed with similar claims. This trial involved a mother who claimed that her son developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after being born prematurely and fed formula.

NEC is a devastating and life-threatening condition that can cause a hole to form in the intestine and spread dangerous bacteria to other parts of the body. The woman’s son did not survive.

But a federal jury rejected claims that Mead Johnson’s Enfamil formula played a role in causing the infant’s death.

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A Streak of Inconsistent Results for Baby Formula Lawsuits

While this was the first federal baby formula trial held over NEC claims, other cases have already gone before juries in state court. The results of the litigation have been relatively inconsistent.

In 2024, a St. Louis Jury ordered Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Similac, to pay $495 million to the mother of an infant who developed NEC.

Multiple Similac cases in federal court, however, later failed to advance to trial after a judge granted summary judgment, ruling in Abbott’s favor before the case could go before a jury.

Another Abbott trial in April 2026 resulted in a $70 million verdict.

Last month, the company announced a $670 million settlement to resolve a group of cases involving 2,000 infants. The case that resulted in the $495 million verdict, which was working its way through the appeals process, was included in that group.

Mead Johnson was also previously ordered to pay $60 million in a similar state court trial, but that verdict was wiped out in June after an appeals court ordered a new trial.

Hundreds of baby formula lawsuits remain active in federal and state courts. More trials are expected to take place.