To Whom It May Concern,

>Carl Spalding, Vice President and General Manager, Pediatric Nutritional
>Products, Abbott Laboratories stated, "Ross Products Division has made a
>strong commitment to support breastfeeding.
        I am deeply distrubed by this blantently untrue statement in your
public release on Lactnet. When my three year old son and I were
experiencing our most difficult days of breastfeeding, in those first few
weeks, Ross Laboratories, without my asking and certainly without my
wanting, sent us a CASE of free formula, no mixing, no mearsuring. Every
woman I knew who gave birth that year got this free case of formula... How
is that supportive of breastfeeding?
         The insidious potential for sabotage by a "concerned" family member
who gives the baby a bottle "to relieve the mother for a bit" or bc they
mistakenly believe the baby is "not getting enough".... is tremedous, but
you know that -- that's why you send them. Why just this week that is
exactly what happened to a woman I know, her husband stepped in and gave
formula and guess what? you win, another artificially fed infant is on your
rolls. How is this supportive of breastfeeding?
        Not only does your company continually violate the WHO Breastfeeding
Code ( can be re read for your education at the following WEB site
http://www.summit.net/home/Cindy/who.htm) but your advertising is misleading
to the general public. Artificial formulas cannot ever be "like breastmilk"
they can NEVER contain the living cells that are so important to a lifetime
of health. Your ads never mention that by choosing bottles and formulas
women are at greater risk for breast cancer than those that breastfeed. How
is that supportive of breastfeeding?
        How can your company continue to produce a product and market it to
the general public as safe, that the research has unequivocally proven again
and again and again is inferior, and contributes to so many problems, from
lowered IQ's to increased SIDs rates, to a multitude of adult diseases as
well? How is continuing to mass market your product by trying to get your
logo into discharge packs at hospitals supportive of breastfeeding? How is
encourageing every mother to use a pump and give bottles of espressed milk
supportive of *breast*feeding?

>Elena Taggart Medo, President of White River Concepts, commented on the
>joint breastfeeding promotion.  "We are impressed with the commitment Ross
>Products has made to assist nursing mothers.  In addition to the accurate,
>up to date breastfeeding information already provided by Ross Products,

        This strikes me as disingenuous as a cigarrette manufacturer
providing information on smoking cessations strategies. The very fact that
the product is manufactured and sold and mass marketed as an "either/or"
"unharmful" "socially acceptable" substitute negates your "educational
efforts." The undertone, the subtlety of the tact is that you try to give
legitimacy to your harmful product by paying homage to breastfeeding. No
matter how correct your information on breastfeeding you withhold the truth
about your product. Until you attach warning lables to all your formulas
with the truth about the great potential for harm I see you as nothing more
than profiteers off the health of innocent babies. How is that supportive of
breastfeeding?
        Look yourselves in the mirrors ladies and gentleman and ask, "Am I
honestly supportive of breastfeeding?"

Incredulously shaking her head,
Anne E. Robb, MAT,

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