Baby formula shortage: Former FDA official rips Biden for 'smoke and mirrors' response

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Former FDA official rips Biden over handling of baby formula shortage: 'Smoke and mirrors'

Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner, joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss the Biden administration's handling of the baby formula shortage.

The baby formula crisis has parents in a panic, and some critics are warning President Biden hasn't acted fast enough to reverse the shortages. 

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Former FDA associate commissioner Peter Pitts ripped President Biden's decision to invoke the Defense Production Act over the crisis, arguing there has "never been a shortage" on "Fox & Friends First."

"It's tough talk," Pitts told co-host Todd Piro. "It's smoke and mirrors, and it's insulting to American parents. You know what makes up baby formula? Rice starch, corn syrup and protein concentrate from cows' milk. Commodities. There's no shortage. Never been a shortage."

"So the Defense Production Act, it's just smoke and mirrors," he continued. "It's insulting. American parents want to know when the problem is going to be solved, not soundbites that are ridiculous from the outset."

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Biden invoked the Defense Production Act on Wednesday in order to mitigate the baby formula crisis, authorizing the Department of Defense to pick up formula overseas. 

Signs at a local Target inform shoppers that they are limited to 4 containers each due to the shortage in baby formula. (Fox News Digital)

The move also aims to ensure companies have the necessary ingredients to expedite additional formula production. 

"They should have talked to retail outlets to make sure there was no hoarding or panic buying, and then been transparent and truthful, with American parents throughout the process," Pitts said. "But they didn't do that."

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Baby formula supply has plummeted 40% in recent weeks, causing parents to panic as store shelves remain empty. 

Pitts insisted the White House should have acted sooner, educating parents on the current situation and what the FDA was doing to mitigate it. 

"There was no confirmed commissioner at the FDA at the time, but it took the president a year to get a FDA commissioner to the Senate, and he was confirmed on the first vote," Pitts said. "So there was no blocking of the nomination."