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:
Formula Changes are Coming to Texas WIC (Updated 3/20/2023)
WIC programs must have contracts for milk-based and soy-based infant formulas.
Babies who use standard formula can be issued:
- Enfamil Infant
- Enfamil Gentlease
- Enfamil A.R.
- Enfamil Reguline
- Similac Soy Isomil
Health Partners are strongly encouraged to support WIC participants in using contract formula products if they are medically appropriate and tolerated by the child.
WIC clients using soy-based formulas will only be able to receive Similac Soy Isomil starting March 1.
For milk-based formula, USDA has extended the option for states to offer alternative brand formulas. Texas WIC will continue to offer some temporary alternative brand options for milk-based Enfamil formulas through the end of April. When alternative formula brand options are no longer available, planned for May 1, WIC clients will be transitioned back to the contract milk- based Enfamil formulas.
Large can options of all contract formulas will continue to be available through April 30.
Because there are not alternative brand equivalents to Enfamil Reguline or Enfamil A.R., your patients may contact their WIC office to discuss formula options if they are unable to find these on the shelf. These formulas can be issued in larger container sizes. However, your patients may seek your guidance for alternative formulas if Enfamil A.R. or Enfamil Reguline are not available.
Resources for Health Partners:
- Information for WIC clients and an updated list of alternative formula brand options
- More information about Texas WIC formulas
- Texas WIC Medical Request for Therapeutic Formula Form
- Help your patients adjust to a new formula
Therapeutic Formulas
Available brands of therapeutic formulas are not impacted by the contract change. Texas WIC continues to have a wide variety of therapeutic formulas available with a completed medical request. For more information on formulas available through the Texas WIC program, please visit our formulary.
Examples of available therapeutic formulas with a medical request include:
Preterm formulas and Human Milk Fortifiers
- Enfamil Human Milk Fortifier PWD or Acidified Liquid – Mead Johnson
- Similac Human Milk Fortifier Concentrated Liquid- Abbott Laboratories
- Similac Human Milk Fortifier Hydrolyzed Protein Concentrated Liquid - Abbott Laboratories
- Enfamil Premature 24 w/ Iron – Mead Johnson
- Enfamil Premature High Protein 24 w/ Iron – Mead Johnson
- Enfamil Premature 30– Mead Johnson
- Similac Special Care 20 w/Iron - Abbott Laboratories
- Similac Special Care 24 w/Iron - Abbott Laboratories
- Similac Special Care 24 High Protein - Abbott Laboratories
- Similac Special Care 30 - Abbott Laboratories
Premature transitional formulas
- Neosure 22kcal/oz - Abbott Laboratories
- Enfamil Enfacare 22kcal/oz – Mead Johnson
Protein Hydrolysate Hypoallergenic formulas
- Alimentum - Abbott Laboratories
- Extensive HA- Gerber
- Nutramigen – Mead Johnson
- Generic Hypoallergenic- Perrigo
- Pregestimil 24 – Mead Johnson
- Pregestimil DHA/ARA – Mead Johnson
Elemental/Amino Acid Based formulas
- Alfamino Infant - Nestle
- Elecare DHA/ARA - Abbott Laboratories
- Neocate w/DHA/ARA - Nutricia
- PurAmino – Mead Johnson
- Neocate Syneo- Nutricia
Additional formula products such as toddler formulas, increased calorie supplements and metabolic formulas are also available.
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Why is the formula your patients get from WIC changing?
The WIC program is required to have a contract with a specific formula company to help keep costs down. There are separate contracts for milk-based and soy-based formulas. We renew these contracts every five years. The award for the contract from October 2022 – September 2027 for milk-based formula is Mead Johnson, the makers of Enfamil.
The milk-based formulas offered under the new contract include:
- Enfamil Infant
- Enfamil Gentlease
- Enfamil A.R.
- Enfamil Reguline
The soy-based formula will continue to be with Abbott, the makers of Similac.
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When flexibilities for standard alternative brands end, can my patient still receive other brands with a medical request?
WIC clients using soy-based formulas will only be able to use their benefits for Similac Soy Isomil starting March 1.
As planned for May 1, your patients who are currently selecting standard milk-based alternative brands from different manufacturers will be required to transition to one of the contract products. These are Enfamil Infant, Enfamil Gentlease, Enfamil A.R., Enfamil Reguline.WIC will not be able to accept medical requests for other brand-equivalents. For example, if your patient requires a gentle formulation, WIC will provide Enfamil Gentlease and cannot accept a prescription for Similac Total Comfort or Good Start Soothe.
The end of the alternative brand flexibilities does not affect therapeutic formulas, such as premature transitional, hypoallergenic or elemental formulas. These may still be requested through the Medical Request for Therapeutic Formulas.
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How can I help my patients adjust to a new formula?
Texas WIC has a printable handout available to help support your patient’s formula change.
Most babies can change from one brand of formula to another without much problem. In the first few days on a new formula, some babies will have a slight change in the color of their stool or may drink a little less than normal. This is normal and should get better in a few days.
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What if my patient is unable to tolerate the new formula?
If the new formula is not tolerated, the WIC program can exchange any unopened, unused cans of formula for a different WIC contract standard formula within the same month that it was purchased. Starting March 1, your patients needing a soy-based formula will only be able to redeem the contract brand, Similac Soy Isomil.
Starting May 1, your patients needing milk-based formulas will only be able to redeem the contract brands, Enfamil Infant, Enfamil Gentlease, Enfamil A.R., or Enfamil Reguline WIC will no longer provide alternative brand formulas, such as milk-based equivalents from Similac, Good Start, store labels or imported brands. WIC will not be able to accept medical requests for other brand-equivalents.
Specialty formulas, like hypoallergenic formulas, will still be available with a completed Medical Request for Therapeutic Formula Form. -
How long will Texas WIC be using Enfamil brand milk-based formulas?
The new contract term will be from October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2027.
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Is the formula prepared the same way as before?
Instructions listed on the individual can should always be followed when preparing formula. Texas WIC educates clients using the CDC recommendations for safe formula preparation. A helpful article for your patients on safe formula preparation is here: How to Mix Infant Formula | Texas WIC
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Will Texas WIC provide the same amount of formula?
Yes, regardless of the brand, the monthly formula quantities are the same. These are determined based on federally set program limits and vary based on an infant’s age and breastfeeding frequency.
Contact Us
For more information about the WIC program call 800-942-3678 or email WICG[email protected].
Have any questions?
