NEC baby formula lawsuits face upcoming federal bellwether trials

As of spring 2026, approximately 780 necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) baby formula lawsuits remain pending in MDL 3026 in the Northern District of Illinois, with hundreds of additional cases moving through state courts. State court juries have previously awarded over $630 million in verdicts against manufacturers Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson/Reckitt, including a $495 million verdict in Missouri in July 2024.

The first federal bellwether trial in MDL 3026 is scheduled for July 6, 2026, with subsequent trials slated for August 2026, November 2026, and February 2027. These bellwether trials are intended to test legal theories regarding warnings, causation, and damages. The litigation centers on NEC, a condition affecting 2% to 5% of premature infants that can carry a mortality rate as high as 50% in severe cases.