WIC, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children will be changing the brand of standard infant formulas available to participating infants effective January 1, 2021. The Missouri WIC program will change its standard infant formulas from Enfamil to Similac.
WIC federal regulations require all state agencies to enter into a competitive cost-containment contract for the purchase of infant formula. Abbott, the awarded manufacturer, receives the exclusive right to provide its products to WIC participants in exchange for a monetary rebate. The infant formula rebate maximizes the program’s ability to provide nutrition services and supplemental food benefits to all WIC participants.
WIC recognizes and promotes breastfeeding as the optimal source of nutrition for infants. In Missouri, 70.2% of WIC mothers initiated breastfeeding in fiscal year 2020. However, for women who are unable to fully breastfeed, or choose not to, WIC provides nutritionally appropriate iron-fortified formulas to eligible infants.
Missouri WIC will issue Similac Advance, Similac Sensitive, Similac Total Comfort, Similac Soy Isomil, and Similac for Spit-Up under the new infant formula contract. WIC provides participants with these standard contract brands of formula unless there is a specific condition requiring a special formula or WIC-eligible nutritional. Missouri WIC will continue to provide special infant formulas for infants with a qualifying medical condition. Information for prescribing a special formula for infants is located on the Department of Health and Senior Services website.
Pregnant women, new mothers, and families with children from birth through their fifth birthday who are Missouri residents may qualify for supplemental food benefits, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support. Individuals can submit a WIC Online Interest Form by visiting the Missouri WIC website at wic.mo.gov to assess eligibility and initiate the enrollment process, or they can obtain additional information by calling 1-800-TEL-LINK (1-800-835-5465).
