The code is called The International Code on the *Marketing* of
Breastmilk Substitutes.  It is a model *minimal* requirement code of
ethics to be *strengthened* by each jurisdiction as it sees its own
requirements.  (The formula companies argue that it is not applicable to
affluent countries, but WHO/Unicef have always stated that it applies to
*all* countries of the world, and that it is a *minimum* that is
expected).  The code says, for example "no advertising to the lay
public".  It does not specify that magazines reject ads from formula
companies, but if governments were doing their jobs and enacting the
code as law, there would be no ads from formula companies to reject.  If
the law stated no ads, both the company and the magazine could be in
violation.  As it is, most jurisdictions which have done anything at all
about the code make compliance voluntary.  And we all know what the
result is.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC