Abbott increases nutrition portfolio for metabolic disorders

Abbott, a leader in nutrition science research and development, has announced increased access to its metabolic formulas to help infants diagnosed with Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) in India.

Abbott's Nutrition Metabolic Formulas (ANMF) will help infants diagnosed with IEM in India, where the US-based company said, a large number of babies need specialised nutrition and medical attention to survive.

The announcement comes on the back of easing of import regulations by the regulatory authority FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) under the Diet4Life initiative, which has made the movement of these critical medical foods simpler and faster into the country since November 2016.

The final approval on IEM products came in June.

India has one of the world's highest birth rates. Of the nearly 74,000 babies born every day, 74 are likely to born with IEM, the global healthcare company said.

On a yearly basis, this translates into more than 27,000 infants who need specialised nutrition and medical attention to be able to stay healthy and even survive, it said.