Mead Johnson & Company, LLC

First Federal Bellwether Trial Opens Against Mead Johnson in NEC Infant Formula MDL

- The first federal bellwether trial in the preterm infant formula multidistrict litigation, Inman v. Mead Johnson & Company, LLC, has proceeded to a jury in the Northern District of Illinois. - The case centers on allegations that Mead Johnson's cow's-milk-based Enfamil formula increased the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a premature infant without adequate warning. - More than 825 lawsuits are consolidated in the federal MDL, with analysts estimating total potential liability ranging from roughly £400 million to £8 billion. - The outcome is expected to shape litigation against Mead Johnson and Abbott Laboratories, which together hold about 80% of the U.S. infant formula market.