Dear Heidi, I have been following the recent ICEA violation of the WHO code and the subsequent resignations of Kathleen Auerbach and Jack Newman. It was suggested that I share my thoughts on the matter with you. The WHO Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is based on solid evidence. We know that following it saves lives...not following it costs them. It is not some willy-nilly proposal. I know that here in the United States we tend to ignore it and the fact that President Clinton signed off on it in 1994. We are capitalists, and a side efect is that we sometimes let greed get in the way. But all of us in the Maternal/Child Healthcare professions have one common motivator: we love babies. Like most of my colleages, I realized early on that the best thing I could do for them was to help teach their parents how to take care of them. You do what you can, cross your fingers, hope for the best and then send them out into the big, bad world. ICEA has traditionally been a wonderful organization, doing just that. This time, however, you messed up. When any organization puts $$$ before the health and well being of infants...well, maybe it's time that organization doesn't exist anymore. I salute Jack and Kathleen for standing up for the courage of their convictions. That kind of integrity is a rare commodity in these times. Too bad ICEA doesn't have the same conscious. ICEA: you made a mistake. Admit it, correct it, apologize and the children that you hurt will forgive you. I know: I speak fluent neonate and they told me so. Kathleen Miller RN, IBCLC --------------------------------------------- This message was sent using Chesapeake.Net Web Mail. http://www.chesapeake.net/ *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html