The SimplyThick Infant Formula Experiment Continues
SimplyThick necrotizing enterocolitis medical alerts were last issued in September 2012. In spite of these health risk notifications SimplyThick remains a marketed infant product. SimplyThick usage has been associated with nine U. S. infant deaths and multiple necrotizing enterocolitis incidents.
Health Canada has also reported SimplyThick necrotizing enterocolitis occurrences. SimplyThick was exported to Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Panama, Barbados, Cayman Islands and Italy.
The John L. Holahan designed xanthan gum product entered neonatal intensive care units in 2003. In addition to hospital facilities, Mr. Holahan has SimplyThick contracts with nursing home centers, home health agencies, state Medicaid agencies and the V.A.
SimplyThick reports:
FDA Findings: Xanthan Gum Primary Source of Bacterial Endotoxins
John L. Holahan Issues SimplyThick® Necrotizing Enterocolitis Advisory
Warning Too Late for Some Infants—The New York Times
SimplyThick Neonatal Intensive Care Practices
FDA "SimplyThick" Infant Health Risk Warnings are Complicated
Thermo Pac, LLC—SimplyThick— Processing Deficiencies
Infant— SimplyThick—Alert: Health Canada October 18, 2012
John L. Holahan—SimplyThick—Xanthan Gum—Necrotizing Enterocolitis
John L. Holahan: Burdock Group SimplyThick Safe for Infant Formula Approval 2001
SimplyThick Infant Formula Experiment
Jeannette Cooperman's June 2013 article provides an update on the SimplyThick case.
Simply Thick: A Tragedy No One Saw Coming
As Ms. Cooperman notes:
In February of this year, after the FDA had issued two warnings and published a paper in a medical journal and The New York Times had written about the issue, we called one of SimplyThick’s local distributors. “Oh, it’s a wonderful product. The beauty of it is, you don’t smell it or taste it,” a dietitian said. “Oh yeah, we have several children on it. There are some babies. We’ve had children and babies on it. We always keep it in stock.