What caused the shortage of Neocate?
The unexpected Abbott Nutrition recall in February has led to a huge surge in demand for alternative amino acid-based formula, including our Neocate® products. This has led to product shortages throughout the industry.
You can read more about the Abbott Nutrition Recall here: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/abbott-voluntarily-expands-recall-powder-formulas-manufactured-one-plant
Why is it taking so long to produce more Neocate?
Amino acid-based products, like Neocate, are for medical use and require specialized ingredients and extensive quality and food safety procedures to make; because of this, it takes time to safely ramp up production. We have increased production and we are doing everything we can to ensure Neocate is available and in stock through all the ways we distribute our products. For additional information on our efforts, please visit https://www.neocate.com/blog/information-from-nutricia-regarding-current-availability-of-neocate-products/.
I get Neocate through WIC usually – How can I locate a supplier who can take WIC?
We recommend reaching out to your local WIC department to find a list of WIC-approved vendors. Certain Walgreen’s locations may have stock of Neocate Infant DHA/ARA available. Please call your local Walgreens to inquire whether stock is available before driving there.
What alternative formulas can my baby have if I cannot find Neocate?
It is best to reach out to your healthcare provider to find a safe, nutritional alternative for your child’s unique needs. He/she may be able to recommend another hypoallergenic formula or put you in touch with a dietitian to come up with a modular formulation that is safe for your child.
When will Neocate be back in stock at my DME, home healthcare company or pharmacy?
Since the start of the Abbott Nutrition recall, we have ensured continued supply of Neocate formulas to the market. However, demand is higher than supply. Unfortunately, we are unable to give you a definite answer about when your supplier will have stock because it will vary by supplier and depends on whether your supplier gets it directly from us or through a wholesaler.
How can I sign up for stock alerts when Neocate is available on Neocate.com?
We will have a limited supply of certain Neocate products available on Neocate.com in the coming months. Customers can sign up for email notifications to be notified when a specific product becomes available for purchase on Neocate.com. If there are multiple product variations that work for you (for example, if your healthcare provider says that both Neocate® Infant DHA/ARA or Neocate® Syneo® Infant will work for your child depending on which one is available), then we recommend signing up for notifications on both products. Similarly, for Neocate® Junior and Neocate® Splash, you can sign up for notifications on all flavors that you are interested in, as they may become available at different times. The email sign-up option can be found on the individual product pages, beneath where the cost is listed (see image example to the right). View individual product pages below to sign up for email notifications:
- Neocate® Infant® DHA/ARA: https://www.neocate.com/shop/hypoallergenic-formula-and-products/infant-dha-ara
- Neocate® Syneo® Infant: https://www.neocate.com/shop/hypoallergenic-formula-and-products/syneo-infant
- Neocate® Junior: https://www.neocate.com/shop/hypoallergenic-formula-and-products/junior
- Neocate® Splash: https://www.neocate.com/shop/hypoallergenic-formula-and-products/splash
Can I buy Neocate on Amazon?
In the coming months, there will be a limited supply of certain Neocate products (including Neocate Infant DHA/ARA, Neocate Syneo Infant, Neocate Junior, and Neocate Nutra) available on Amazon, sold by our authorized reseller, iServe. Stock availability on Amazon will fluctuate in the coming months as we receive new stock regularly, but it may sell out before the next batch of stock is received. Therefore, if you don’t see stock available for the product you need through iServe on Amazon, we recommend checking back soon. Note that there may be other sellers on Amazon, but iServe is our only authorized reseller. Their listings will say “Sold by: iServe” (see screenshot to the right).
I’ve heard that there has been price gouging on Neocate. Is that true? Has Nutricia increased the price of Neocate during the formula shortage?
No. The price of Neocate has remained unchanged since the recall began through all of our direct channels, including on our website and through our certified Amazon reseller (iServe).
We have heard reports of unverified sellers increasing the prices of our products on third-party websites during this period, and strongly condemn this practice.
If my usual Neocate product is out of stock, can I substitute with another version or flavor of Neocate?
As stock fluctuates in the coming months, certain Neocate products may be available while others are still out of stock. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine whether it’s okay to temporarily switch to another version or flavor of Neocate until your preferred version or flavor becomes available.
For infants (0-12 months old):
We have two infant formulas (for ages 0-12 months): Neocate® Infant with DHA/ARA and Neocate® Syneo® Infant. If you normally use one but only the other one is available, check with your doctor to determine if it would be a suitable substitute for your child. Both Neocate Syneo Infant and Neocate Infant DHA/ARA are hypoallergenic, amino acid-based formulas for the dietary management of cow milk allergy, multiple food allergies and related gastrointestinal and allergic conditions. Unlike our Neocate Infant DHA/ARA, Neocate Syneo Infant also contains added prebiotics and probiotics. Neocate Syneo Infant is not intended for use in infants with a central venous catheter or post-pyloric feeding tube unless directed or supervised by a healthcare professional.
For children over the age of 1:
If your child uses Neocate® Junior or Neocate® Splash, talk to your healthcare provider about whether the other product or another flavor of the same product would be suitable for your child. Neocate Junior is available in Unflavored, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla. Neocate Splash is available in Unflavored, Vanilla, Orange-Pineapple, Grape, and Tropical Fruit. Neocate Splash (ready-to-feed liquid) and Neocate Junior (powdered) are nutritionally interchangeable, hypoallergenic, amino acid-based formulas for the dietary management of individuals aged one year and above with of cow milk allergy, multiple food allergies and related gastrointestinal and allergic conditions, including food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, eosinophilic esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux, short bowel syndrome and malabsorption.
My DME/Pharmacy/Home Healthcare Company says they do not have Neocate. Did you stop shipping Neocate to suppliers?
We continue to prioritize our partnerships with medical distributors (including DMEs and home healthcare companies) who work with insurance carriers to supply families with our product. In fact, over 80% of our formula supply is allocated to these distributors. Since the Abbott Nutrition recall began in February, we have continued to produce and ship Neocate to our distributors, however, availability may continue to be limited, with demand outpacing supply. Because distributors manage stock individually, we may not always have visibility into their stock on hand or how available stock is allocated to customers. Oftentimes, smaller DMEs, pharmacies and home healthcare companies purchase Neocate products through a larger distributor, not from Nutricia North America directly, so it may take longer for inventory to make it to customers who receive Neocate through them.
My child uses Neocate® Splash – Will you be producing more of this product?
We are continuing to produce and ship Neocate Splash. At the beginning of the year, we introduced a new and additional flavor (Neocate Splash Vanilla). However, demand continues to outpace supply. Please talk with your healthcare provider to determine if Neocate Junior is a suitable temporary substitute for your child’s Neocate Splash.
When will the 500,000 cans of Neocate Infant and Neocate Junior coming to the US in partnership with the FDA be available?
We are hopeful we can get more product to families starting in the first half of July.
How will you allocate the 500,000 cans of Neocate Infant and Neocate Junior coming to the US in partnership with the FDA?
When this product arrives, we will continue to allocate over 80% of our formula supply to medical distributors (including DMEs and home healthcare companies) who work with insurance carriers to supply families with our product. Our remaining supply is allocated to our own e-commerce site and our Amazon certified reseller to support those who purchase products directly.
Why will it take until July for the 500,000 cans to arrive in the U.S.?
This agreement is an important first step towards getting even more Neocate to the US market, but it will still take time to produce and transport. Global delays in shipping (across all industries) are an ongoing challenge and we are working with our global partners and with US authorities to identify ways to expedite shipping.
Will the 500,000 cans of Neocate formula be available to WIC buyers?
Yes, Neocate is already covered by National WIC and the 500,000 additional cans of Neocate formula we are making available to the U.S. will continue to be available for WIC patients.
