
Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) subsidiary Mead Johnson is facing a bellwether trial in the US Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) over infant formula product Enfamil linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) scheduled for 6

<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) subsidiary Mead Johnson is facing a bellwether trial in the US Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) over infant formula product Enfamil linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) scheduled for 6 July 2026. NEC is a severe intestinal disease that can cause tissue death and life-threatening infections in premature babies. Levin Papantonio attorney Andy Childers is Plaintiffs' Co-Lead Counsel in the MDL.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The litigation centres on allegations that Mead Johnson's Enfamil and Abbott Laboratories' (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ABT">ABT</a>) Similac, which are cow's-milk-based infant formulas, increase the risk of NEC in premature infants and that manufacturers failed to adequately warn doctors and parents about this risk.

</p><ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwlistdisc">
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
More than 775 lawsuits are currently consolidated in the federal MDL in the Northern District of Illinois and hundreds of cases have been filed in state court.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Analysts have estimated the total potential liability from infant formula litigation could range from around £400 million to as much as £8 billion.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Juries have already returned major verdicts in NEC cases, including $495 million against Abbott Laboratories over Similac and $60 million against Mead Johnson over Enfamil, highlighting the potential financial liability facing formula manufacturers.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The state court litigation is preparing for a multi-plaintiff trial against Abbott Laboratories in March.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Reckitt Benckiser and Abbott Laboratories have a market share of about 80% of the US infant formula market.

</li>
</ul><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The litigation has become a growing issue as Reckitt Benckiser is exploring the sale of its Mead Johnson nutrition division.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Sara Papantonio, Attorney at Levin Papantonio, said:</b> "The upcoming bellwether trial against Reckitt Benckiser will bring families a step closer to justice after years of corporate misconduct that continues to devastate parents and take the lives of premature babies. For decades, manufacturers of cow's-milk-based formulas have been aware of the serious risks that these products pose to vulnerable infants, yet they failed to adequately warn doctors and parents. This trial will give victims the opportunity to hold Reckitt Benckiser accountable and to ensure that the full extent of the harm caused by these products is brought before a jury."

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Notes to editors</b>

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">About Levin Papantonio</b>

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Levin Papantonio is one of the leading plaintiff law firms in America. The firm has successfully represented more than 100,000 clients harmed by corporate negligence and misconduct and has helped to secure more than $80 billion in jury verdicts and settlements against some of the world&#39;s largest corporations, including Big Tobacco, BP, Dupont, 3M and Merck:

</p><ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwlistdisc">
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Over $14 billion in settlements in the PFAS litigation from 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva over the last 20 years. These settlements aimed to fund the cleanup of toxic &#34;forever chemicals&#34; from public water systems nationwide, addressing environmental and health concerns linked to PFAS contamination.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$500 million settlement with Walgreens, resolving claims that the pharmacy giant recklessly dispensed opioids in 2023.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$26 billion national opioid settlement involving Johnson &amp; Johnson and three other major drug distributors in 2021.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$18.7 billion settlement in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill case in 2010.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$4.85 billion settlement in the Vioxx products multi-district litigation against Merck in 2007.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$3.75 billion settlement with American Home Products Corporation for those claiming injuries from the diet pill combo Fen-Phen in 1999.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$13.2 billion settlement for the State of Florida against the tobacco industry in 1992, the largest civil settlement in US history at the time.

</li>
</ul><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The firm is led by Mike Papantonio, a nationally renowned US trial lawyer. Mike was selected as lead in discovery and trial in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL, dubbed the most complex case in U.S. legal history, and he secured a $26 billion settlement.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
One of the few living attorneys inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, Papantonio's work has been featured in award-winning documentaries including <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Oxy Kingpins</i>, <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Devil We Know</i>, and <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Jesus Camp</i>. Papantonio also hosts <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">America's Lawyer</i> on YouTube, with over 1 million subscribers, and he founded and hosts the <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Ring of Fire</i> radio show where he has interviewed major cultural and political figures, including Al Pacino, Erin Brockovich, and Howard Zinn.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" alt="" src="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&amp;sty=20260305466625r1&amp;sid=benz2&amp;distro=nx&amp;lang=en" style="width:0;height:0"></img><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwct31415"></span></p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink"><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink-phrase">View source version on businesswire.com: </span><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink-link"><a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305466625/en/" rel="nofollow">https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305466625/en/</a></span></p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Media Contacts 
</b><br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>Desiree Maghoo, Questor Consulting
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>T: +44 (0) 20 3761 9670
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>M: +44 (0) 7775522740
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>E: <a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" rel="nofollow" href="mailto:dmaghoo@questorconsulting.com" shape="rect">dmaghoo@questorconsulting.com 
</a><br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>Mimi Robson, Questor Consulting
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>T: +44 (0) 20 3761 9669
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>M: +44 (0) 7749940494
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>E: <a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" rel="nofollow" href="mailto:mrobson@questorconsulting.com" shape="rect">mrobson@questorconsulting.com</a>

</p>

Trial Set in NEC Multidistrict Litigation Against Reckitt Benckiser's Mead Johnson Led by Levin Papantonio

Abbott Laboratories Exposed to Multi-Billion Dollar Lawsuit Risks

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) subsidiary Mead Johnson is facing a bellwether trial in the US Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) over infant formula product Enfamil linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) scheduled for 6</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>Abbott Laboratories faces heightened legal exposure due to allegations linking its Similac infant formula to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). With the total potential liabilities assessed between £400 million and £8 billion, upcoming trials could significantly affect ABT&#039;s financial outlook in the near term.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>ABT faces significant litigation risks linked to its Similac formula.</li><li>Ongoing lawsuits allege increased NEC risk in premature infants using its products.</li><li>Potential liabilities from similar infant formula litigation could reach £8 billion.</li><li>Strong financial verdicts against ABT in NEC cases may impact future earnings.</li><li>The litigation landscape for infant formulas is becoming increasingly contentious.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>Abbott Laboratories (ABT)</strong>: ABT&#039;s exposure from NEC litigation could materially impact financial performance.</li><li><strong>Reckitt Benckiser (RKT)</strong>: Reckitt faces its own challenges with ongoing litigation related to its infant formula.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Legal</h3>
    <p>The news is categorized as &#039;Legal&#039; because it revolves around ongoing lawsuits and potential legal liabilities that could significantly impact Abbott Laboratories in the infant formula market, particularly regarding product safety claims.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>Upcoming NEC-related trials could significantly impact ABT&#039;s stock price.</li><li>Financial liability estimates ranging up to £8 billion pose a risk to valuation.</li><li>Major jury verdicts against ABT indicate potential for further legal costs.</li><li>The state court trial against ABT is set for March, heightening investor concerns.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>Over 775 lawsuits are consolidated against ABT in federal MDL.</li><li>$495 million verdict against ABT over Similac linked to NEC.</li><li>Total liabilities from infant formula litigation could reach £8 billion.</li><li>ABT and Reckitt have a combined 80% market share in U.S. infant formulas.</li><li>Upcoming trial against Reckitt Benckiser on July 6, 2026, relates to similar allegations.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Invest in ABT cautiously, given potential litigation liabilities affecting future stock performance.</p>
  </section>
</section>


<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) subsidiary Mead Johnson is facing a bellwether trial in the US Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) over infant formula product Enfamil linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) scheduled for 6 July 2026. NEC is a severe intestinal disease that can cause tissue death and life-threatening infections in premature babies. Levin Papantonio attorney Andy Childers is Plaintiffs' Co-Lead Counsel in the MDL.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The litigation centres on allegations that Mead Johnson's Enfamil and Abbott Laboratories' (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ABT">ABT</a>) Similac, which are cow's-milk-based infant formulas, increase the risk of NEC in premature infants and that manufacturers failed to adequately warn doctors and parents about this risk.

</p><ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwlistdisc">
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
More than 775 lawsuits are currently consolidated in the federal MDL in the Northern District of Illinois and hundreds of cases have been filed in state court.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Analysts have estimated the total potential liability from infant formula litigation could range from around £400 million to as much as £8 billion.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Juries have already returned major verdicts in NEC cases, including $495 million against Abbott Laboratories over Similac and $60 million against Mead Johnson over Enfamil, highlighting the potential financial liability facing formula manufacturers.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The state court litigation is preparing for a multi-plaintiff trial against Abbott Laboratories in March.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Reckitt Benckiser and Abbott Laboratories have a market share of about 80% of the US infant formula market.

</li>
</ul><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The litigation has become a growing issue as Reckitt Benckiser is exploring the sale of its Mead Johnson nutrition division.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Sara Papantonio, Attorney at Levin Papantonio, said:</b> "The upcoming bellwether trial against Reckitt Benckiser will bring families a step closer to justice after years of corporate misconduct that continues to devastate parents and take the lives of premature babies. For decades, manufacturers of cow's-milk-based formulas have been aware of the serious risks that these products pose to vulnerable infants, yet they failed to adequately warn doctors and parents. This trial will give victims the opportunity to hold Reckitt Benckiser accountable and to ensure that the full extent of the harm caused by these products is brought before a jury."

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Notes to editors</b>

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">About Levin Papantonio</b>

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Levin Papantonio is one of the leading plaintiff law firms in America. The firm has successfully represented more than 100,000 clients harmed by corporate negligence and misconduct and has helped to secure more than $80 billion in jury verdicts and settlements against some of the world&#39;s largest corporations, including Big Tobacco, BP, Dupont, 3M and Merck:

</p><ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwlistdisc">
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
Over $14 billion in settlements in the PFAS litigation from 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva over the last 20 years. These settlements aimed to fund the cleanup of toxic &#34;forever chemicals&#34; from public water systems nationwide, addressing environmental and health concerns linked to PFAS contamination.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$500 million settlement with Walgreens, resolving claims that the pharmacy giant recklessly dispensed opioids in 2023.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$26 billion national opioid settlement involving Johnson &amp; Johnson and three other major drug distributors in 2021.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$18.7 billion settlement in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill case in 2010.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$4.85 billion settlement in the Vioxx products multi-district litigation against Merck in 2007.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$3.75 billion settlement with American Home Products Corporation for those claiming injuries from the diet pill combo Fen-Phen in 1999.

</li>
<li xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
$13.2 billion settlement for the State of Florida against the tobacco industry in 1992, the largest civil settlement in US history at the time.

</li>
</ul><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
The firm is led by Mike Papantonio, a nationally renowned US trial lawyer. Mike was selected as lead in discovery and trial in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL, dubbed the most complex case in U.S. legal history, and he secured a $26 billion settlement.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
One of the few living attorneys inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, Papantonio's work has been featured in award-winning documentaries including <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Oxy Kingpins</i>, <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Devil We Know</i>, and <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Jesus Camp</i>. Papantonio also hosts <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">America's Lawyer</i> on YouTube, with over 1 million subscribers, and he founded and hosts the <i xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Ring of Fire</i> radio show where he has interviewed major cultural and political figures, including Al Pacino, Erin Brockovich, and Howard Zinn.

</p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" alt="" src="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&amp;sty=20260305466625r1&amp;sid=benz2&amp;distro=nx&amp;lang=en" style="width:0;height:0"></img><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="bwct31415"></span></p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink"><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink-phrase">View source version on businesswire.com: </span><span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="mmgallerylink-link"><a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305466625/en/" rel="nofollow">https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305466625/en/</a></span></p><p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<b xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Media Contacts 
</b><br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>Desiree Maghoo, Questor Consulting
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>T: +44 (0) 20 3761 9670
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>M: +44 (0) 7775522740
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>E: <a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" rel="nofollow" href="mailto:dmaghoo@questorconsulting.com" shape="rect">dmaghoo@questorconsulting.com 
</a><br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>Mimi Robson, Questor Consulting
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>T: +44 (0) 20 3761 9669
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>M: +44 (0) 7749940494
<br xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"></br>E: <a xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" rel="nofollow" href="mailto:mrobson@questorconsulting.com" shape="rect">mrobson@questorconsulting.com</a>

</p>

Abbott Laboratories faces heightened legal exposure due to allegations linking its Similac infant formula to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). With the total potential liabilities assessed between £400 million and £8 billion, upcoming trials could significantly affect ABT's financial outlook in the near term.

Trial Set in NEC Multidistrict Litigation Against Reckitt Benckiser's Mead Johnson Led by Levin Papantonio

AI Summary

Sentiment Rationale

Trading Thesis

Market-Moving

Key Facts

Companies Mentioned

Legal

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