This evening my husband showed me an article from yesterday's Wall Street
Journal which made me feel nauseous. According to the article from the
October 27, 2000 WSJ article entitled, "Doctors' Web Site Gets Sponsorship
From Former Nemesis, Nestle,"A physician Internet firm owned partly by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, a longtime proponent of breast-feeding
(sic), has a new sponsor: the academy's one-time nemesis, infant formula
maker Nestle."
"Medem Inc, a for-profit Internet-services firm founded last year with
financial backing from the pediatrics academy, the American Medical
Association and other major doctor groups, this week announced a sponsorship
deal with the Nestle Nutrition Institute. The institute is an educational
arm of the nutrition division of Nestle USA Inc., Glendale Califor., which
in turn is a unit of food giant Nestle SA of Switzerland. Financial terms
weren't disclosed....The academy's board of directors opposes the direct
marketing of infant formula to consumers, says Joe M. Sanders, Jr.,
executive director of the academy and a board member of Medem, San
Francisco. He said that policy is under review. Indeed, that position has
brought the academy into conflict with Nestle in the past...Dr. Sanders,
reached in Chicago where the pediatrics academy is scheduled to begin its
annual meeting today, acknowledged previously strained relations with
Nestle. 'But at some point you have to say, "it's over and behind us, let's
forge ahead and see how we might work together," he said."
"Dr. Sanders said he is 'happy' with the Nestle sponsorship - which he noted
was negotiated by Medem, rather than by the pediatrics academy - and said it
isn't in conflict with the academy's stance on breast-feeding. He said the
academy has had to accept that direct marketing of health-care products and
drugs is now an accepted part of commerce in the U.S. 'In our hears and
minds, we're still opposed to it,' he said. 'But in reality, it's
happening.'"
..."Under the agreement, Nestle will sponsor educational information on
pediatric nutrition issues, as well as home pages for pediatricians who have
registered for Medem's service...Doctors typically direct patients to their
Web sites to read about a particular condition or health issue."
"One example given on Medem's Web site, http://www.medem.com of a doctor's
practice includes articles on breast-feeding and bottle feeding, with a
small Nestle icon located to the right. The icon says, 'produced by Medem
in sponsorship and support by Nestle Carnation Infant Nutrition.' Patients
who click on the Nestle icon are notified that they are leaving their
doctor's Web site and told, 'While we do not endorse any product or company,
we do appreciate the support of our sponsors.' Edward Fotsch, chief
executive of Medem, said corporate sponsorships are necessary if the company
is to be a viable business providing high-quality services to doctors. He
said sponsored sites are provided to doctors free of charge, but doctors
have the option of choosing to have a Web site without sponsorships, in
exchange for a $30 monthly subscription fee. So far, 3,000 academy members
have signed up for Medem's service, but just 1% have requested nonsponsored
Web sites. Medem has roughly 20,000 members overall."
"Dr. Fotsch applauded Nestle for being 'willing to write a check to help
pediatricians communicate with their patients.' He said consumers are
sophisticated enough to distinguish between a sponsorship and an actual
endorsement, and that it is appropriate to have Nestle as a sponsor, given
that not all women are able to breast-feed. Other sponsorships are in the
works."
Hmmm. I hate to imagine the other sponsorships being considered if this is
one which Medem is proud of as they say in their press release at
http://www.medem.com/level2/press62.html .
Disillusioned again,
Sara Dodder Furr, breastfeeding advocate and volunteer
Lincoln, Nebraska
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