What a cozy term, "formula rep."  As in, "the formula rep brought the greatest lunch the other day," or, "the formula rep had this really cool in-service," or, "I have to admit, the formula rep is kind of cute."  They know very well that the term has lost all its negative power.

Let's bring the negative connotation back.  They are *formula salesmen,* and nothing else.  Their entire purpose is to worm their way into hospital settings and induce breastfeeding failure.  That's it.  Every friendly smile, every pen, every sweet little doughnut crumb is carefully calculated to put more formula into more families.  

They are not our friends, they are not neutral, and the term "formula rep" isn't a negative enough term for them.  

They are *formula salesmen*, and nothing else.  The bags they foist on hospitals are formula marketing kits.  The whole marketing world knows that their techniques are highly effective, regardless of our untutored opinion of them.  Don't traffick with them.  And don't let them get away with the innocent-sounding title of formula rep.  They are formula salesmen, and nothing else.  Please, let's call them what they are!

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC  Ithaca, NY  USA
www.wiessinger.baka.com

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