Ok- here's a thought for those trying to get their admin. to remove formula
gift packs from their facility.
The  info about the non ability of powdered formula to be concidered
sterile and its history of contamination/recall added to the issue of JCAHO
questions  about how the hospitals "track' the lot numbers of formula in
these "free" gifts in case of recalls- this might be a good time to take
all the FDA and CDC info back to your Risk Management/ legal section for
further review. Even though the issue at this time is the risks to
preterm/immunocompromised infants, it remains a potiential risk that I
believe hospital legal teams will decide outweighs the supposed PR of
a "free gift".
  I'm running this by our team here for just this reason. I also want to
see if they will approve a thought I had for a "Parent Letter" I would like
to give out instead of the formula bags. My thought is to have it read
something like this:
"Dear New Parents:
  Our facility has chosen to no longer distribute the discharge bags from
formula companies.
  Unfortunatly formula has the potiential for recalls due to manufacturing
or contamination concerns. Within the hospital setting, we have the ability
to moniter lot numbers for formula used by patients in case of manufacturer
recalls. But we are unable to track formula samples given within these
discharge bags. Because we would be unable to directly notify you if this
occured, we have instead chosen to discontinue their use at our facility."

 Wonder if our team will let this fly? I'll let you know.

  It still surprises me that no other industry ( diapers,baby products,etc)
has not used this gift bag idea for their marketing, especially with all
the controversy. Seems short sighted.

Lisa Jones RN CLE IBCLC

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