Reevaluating the FDA's warning against the use of probiotics in preterm neonates: A societal statement by ESPGHAN and EFCNI.
Chris H P van den AkkerNicholas D EmbletonAlexandre LapillonneWalter Alexander MihatschSilvia SalvatoreRoberto Berni CananiEner Çağrı DinleyiciMagnus DomellöfAlfredo GuarinoPedro Gutiérrez-CastrellónIvan PavićFlavia IndrioAlexis MoscaRok OrelJohannes Hans B van GoudoeverZvi WeizmanSilke MaderLuc J I ZimmermannRaanan ShamirBadriul HegarHania SzajewskaPublished in: Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition (2024)
The recent advisory issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration, cautioning against the routine administration of probiotics in preterm neonates, has sparked a lively debate within the scientific community. This commentary presents a perspective from members of the Special Interest Group on Gut Microbiota and Modifications within the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and other authors who contributed to the ESPGHAN position paper on probiotics for preterm infants, as well as representatives from the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants. We advocate for a more nuanced and supportive approach to the use of certain probiotics in this vulnerable population, balancing the demonstrated benefits and risks.