Dr. Julius and the pediatric chat will be discussing the NY Times
article with the NY Times reporter and a pediatric infectious disease
expert.  If you can get on, do so and grill the two.  I sent this email.

Dear Julius,

I will not be able to attend as usual, partly because I am still not
hooked up, but also because I will be giving a conference at that time.
However, I think you should know a few things.  According to UNICEF:

1. the study was at least partially funded by Nestle
2. the study is unpublished
3. the author of the study:
        a. refuses to release her data
        b. refuses to discuss her methodology

Regarding 3, I think scientists can't have it both ways.  Either they
are mum until publication, or, if they are going to publicize the study,
they cannot just release the parts they want.

I would like you to say that merely providing free formula is not
enough.

What about clean water, fuel to sterilize water, a health system to
treat the illnesses due to formula feeding?  I worked in South Africa;
the deaths from not breastfeeding (1981-83) when we were only just
starting to hear about HIV were appalling.  Preventable deaths,
starvation and, because the mother was not breastfeeding, immediate new
pregnancy, with all that entails for the family.  Think about just the
question of water and fuel to heat the water.  In parts of South Africa,
there are no trees for as far as the eye can see.  The water comes from
the river, and cows and people shit in the river all the time.  God save
us from simple minded solutions like the one described in the article (I
am not slamming the NY Times reporter--in fact the article is balanced
and the other side is well presented, but with an emotional issue such
as HIV and breastfeeding, the only thing most people will read is:
Breastfeeding causes Aids.)

Please present this point of view on my behalf, or print this in
Monday's chat if it is possible.  Thanks

Jack