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flag Over 100 infants have been sickened by botulism from contaminated ByHeart formula, treated with the rare BabyBIG antidote.

flag BabyBIG, a life-saving treatment for infant botulism, is being used to treat a surge of cases linked to contaminated ByHeart formula, with over 100 infants affected since August. flag Made from antibodies in plasma donated by vaccinated scientists and volunteers, the drug is the only antidote for the disease, which can cause paralysis in babies under one year. flag Produced in small batches every five years by Takeda under a nonprofit agreement, each dose costs nearly $70,000, with proceeds funding California’s botulism program. flag About 30 donors per batch are needed, and current reserves are expected to last until next summer. flag Despite its rarity, BabyBIG has treated over 3,700 children worldwide, drastically reducing hospital stays and ventilator use.

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