This section of our website provides resources to our health partners in the medical profession to help improve the lives of women and children. Here you’ll find information on classes, breastfeeding services, nutrition and referrals.
WIC’s health and nutrition program has a long-standing record of improving health outcomes of women, infants and children who are at risk for nutrition-related illness.
Studies show pregnant women who participate in WIC have fewer premature births, fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer fetal and infant deaths, seek prenatal care earlier in pregnancy, and consume more key nutrients like iron, protein, calcium, and Vitamins A and C. It has been estimated that for each dollar spent on WIC for prenatal education, $3.50 is saved in Medicaid and disability payments and in medical-care costs paid by private health-care providers.
Check out our section on Partner Resources for more information on how to access these and other benefits available to you through Texas WIC.
WIC Provides Your Patients:
WIC Offers Partners:
Abbott’s Formula Recall Information for Health Care Providers
Texas WIC is actively working with the USDA and Abbott, the makers of Similac, on the impact of the Abbott formula recall to WIC families. WIC sent text messages Wednesday, February 23 to clients that may be impacted by the recall.
For Similac Advance, Similac Total Comfort, Similac Sensitive and Similac for Spit-Up, WIC has temporarily added more options so parents can find a formula at the store that will meet their babies’ needs without updating their cards.
For Similac PM 60/40, Alimentum, EleCare and EleCare Jr., clients have been instructed to contact their healthcare provider to ask for a new prescription. Since these are highly specialized formulas, a healthcare provider must be consulted to make sure that the formula will meet the infant’s medical needs.
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What should my patient do if they were impacted by the formula recall?
Families should check their formula products at similacrecall.com to determine if they were impacted. Recalled infant formula can be returned to the grocery vendor for an exchange. If your patient is unable to make an exchange at the store, they should contact their WIC office for assistance.
Medical formulas can be returned to WIC to change to a different formula with a new prescription within the month of February.
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What should my patient do if they currently receive Similac Advance, Similac Sensitive, Similac Total Comfort or Similac for Spit-up through the WIC program?
WIC has temporarily added more options so that WIC participants can find a formula at the store to meet their baby’s needs without updating the WIC card.
For a list of alternative brands that families can get with WIC, visit texashhs.org/wicfoodupdates. This page has the most up-to-date information on alternative formulas as more brands are being added.
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What should my patient do if they currently receive Similac PM 60/40, Alimentum, EleCare or EleCare Jr. through the WIC program?
The WIC program has sent text messages to clients receiving these formulas advising them to talk with their healthcare provider about the best alternative. You will need to provide your patient with a new prescription or verbally confirm the new formula choice with the WIC program. Due to potential supply shortages, please be prepared to provide your WIC clinic with an additional alternative formula for your patient if the first choice is unavailable.
WIC clinics in your area may call your office on behalf of clients to ask for this information.
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How do I fill out a prescription form?
Prescription forms can be found here: Texas WIC Medical Request for Formula/Food
You must fill out these boxes at a minimum:
- 1: Patient name
- 3: Formula name and quantity needed
- 4: Length of issuance
- 5: Qualifying condition
- 7: Name, Signature and Contact information of Healthcare Provider.
If you do not fill out these boxes, the prescription is considered incomplete and cannot be accepted by the WIC clinic.
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What alternative formulas are available for patients impacted by the recall?
Similac Alimentum Powder Alternatives
- Extensive HA: 20kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, extensively hydrolyzed whey protein
- Nutramigen: 20 kcal/oz hypoallergenic, casein hydrolysate (due to shortage, please indicate if generic option is ok)
- Pregestimil DHA/ARA: hypoallergenic casein hydrolysate
EleCare Powder Alternatives
- Alfamino Infant: 20kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
- Neocate DHA/ARA: 20kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
- Neocate Syneo 20kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids, contains prebiotics and probiotics.
- PurAmino: 20kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
EleCare Jr. Powder Alternatives
- Alfamino Jr. 30kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
- Equacare Jr. 30kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
- Essential Care Jr. 30kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids, contains low FODMAP prebiotics
- Neocate Jr. 30kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
- Puramino Jr. 30kcal/oz, hypoallergenic, 100% free amino acids
Similac PM 60/40
Possible alternatives include:
- Human milk*
- Standard infant formula, used with phosphate binders
- Renastart (currently only available from WIC for children over age 1)
*Donor human milk has a similar composition of phosphorus and is covered with a prescription by Texas Medicaid. Information about coverage of donor human milk is outlined in the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual, Durable Medical Equipment, Medical Supplies, and Nutritional Products Handbook, Section 2.2.13.
If your patient needs breastfeeding support, please refer them to the free 24/7 Texas Lactation Support Hotline at 855-550-6667 to speak with a lactation consultant. In-person and virtual breastfeeding assistance is available at one of our five lactation support centers, available to all moms regardless of WIC enrollment. Refer moms to this webpage: We’re Here to Help | Texas WIC.
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Where can I find more information on formulas provided through Texas WIC?
All formulas available through Texas WIC with a prescription can be found on the Texas WIC Formulary. This document also contains helpful nutrition information and qualifying conditions for each formula.
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What if I have a patient taking an Abbott metabolic formula?
Abbott sent out information to health care providers about extended supply disruptions for metabolic and some specialty formulas. You can find updated information from the FDA Investigation of Cronobacter Infections for parents and caregivers of infants receiving medical specialty infant formulas.
Specialty formulas and formulas designed for inborn errors of metabolism were also produced at the Sturgis, Michigan plant, where the recall originated. However, metabolic formulas were not included in the recall because the FDA determined that “the risk of not having these products available could significantly worsen underlying medical conditions. For many of these patients, the risk of life-threatening adverse events from restricted access to these critically needed products is likely greater than the risk from consuming products that have been produced at the facility.”
The FDA indicates that parents and caregivers who use these formulas should be aware that there may be some risk of Cronobacter contamination.
Potentially impacted metabolic formulas are:
Calcilo XD I-Valex-1 Pro-Phree Cyclinex-1 I-Valex-2 Propimex-1 Cyclinex-2 Ketonex-1 Propimex-2 Glutarex-1 Ketonex-2 ProViMin Glutarex-2 Phenex-1 Tyrex-1 Hominex-1 Phenex-2 Tyrex-2 Hominex-2 Phenex-2 Vanilla Texas WIC offers a variety of alternative metabolic formulas that can be found on the Texas WIC Formulary. Please contact your patients that receive these formulas to discuss options and provide an updated Texas WIC Medical Request for Metabolic Formula/Food. WIC clients will need to return to their WIC clinic to update their monthly benefits to an alternative formula.
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Who can I contact if I have questions about WIC and Formula?
Please send an email to [email protected]
Contact Us
For more information about the WIC program call 800-942-3678 or email WICG[email protected].
Have any questions?
