A mother has filed a lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical company. On February 21, 2025, Iris Brice filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Abbott Laboratories and its subsidiary, Abbott Laboratories, Inc. The lawsuit alleges that her premature son, Deandre Brice, suffered significant injuries after being fed cow's milk-based formula products manufactured by the defendants.
The complaint centers around the tragic story of Baby Deandre Brice, who was born prematurely on May 14, 2013, at St. Joseph Mercy in Pontiac, Michigan. Shortly after birth, he was fed cow's milk-based products produced by Abbott Laboratories while in the hospital's care. These products allegedly led to Deandre developing Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), a severe intestinal disease that can cause inflammation and injury to the gut wall barrier. According to the plaintiff’s allegations, NEC is significantly more common in premature infants fed with cow's milk-based formulas compared to those who are breastfed or given human milk-based alternatives.
Iris Brice accuses Abbott Laboratories of negligence and strict liability due to design defects and failure to warn about the risks associated with their cow's milk-based products. The lawsuit claims that despite numerous studies linking these products to NEC in preterm infants, Abbott continued to market them as safe alternatives without adequate warnings. For instance, research cited in the complaint indicates that preterm babies fed exclusively on human milk have a dramatically lower risk of developing NEC compared to those consuming cow's milk-based formulas.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 for medical expenses incurred due to her son's condition and punitive damages aimed at deterring similar conduct by Abbott Laboratories in the future. The lawsuit highlights how advances in scientific research have made it possible to prevent conditions like NEC through exclusive human milk diets but alleges that Abbott has continued promoting its potentially harmful products due to financial incentives.
Representing Iris Brice are attorneys James E. Douglas Jr. and C. Andrew Childers from Childers Schlueter & Smith LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. The case is identified under Case No.: 1:25-cv-01811 and will be presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois.