I am forwarding this message from INFACT Canada.  You could email Elisabeth Sterken at INFACT directly to get a copy of the report or for more information

Dear all,

The attached is an important conclusion relating to the addition of long chail essential fatty acids to infant formulas by the Cochrane Review as follows:

"At present there is little evidence from randomized trials of LCPUFA supplementation to support the hypothesis that LCPUFA supplementation confers a benefit for visual or general development of term infants. Minor effects on visual evoked potentials acuity have been suggested but appear unlikely when all studies over longer periods are required to conclude that LCPUFA supplementation provides a benefit when compared with standard formula. Data from randomized trials do not suggest that LCPUFA supplements influence the growth of term infants."

Firstly, this is the very reason why it is important to lobby for the prohibition on health claims knowing this would be coming down the pipe.  The infant formula companies have been claiming that this improves cognitive ability, improves neurological develooment and beter retinol capacity closer to that of breastmilk.

In fact Mead Johnson has already sent out mailings, whole packets, to new mothers in Canada with statements of, "CLINICALLY PROVEN TO INCREASE & MENTAL DEVELOPMENT & VISUAL ACUITY"; "BOOST YOUR BABY'S BRAIN POWER";  "IMPROVE YOUR BABY'S VISION";  even before the product has received market
approval. The proposed label of the product states, "CONTAINS BREASTMILK LEVELS OF DHA & ARA" and has no Breast is Best statement as required.

The Cochrane Review  now  proves that industry cannot make these claims on the addition of long chain fatty acids as this will be misleading, and fraudulant. To assume that the addition of these fatty acids, which will differ from human milk DHA and ARA and are then placed in a totally different chemical environment then that of breastmilk, which contains all sorts of co-factors and enzymes for these fatty acids to function in their intended capacity, will behave the same as those in breastmilk is logically flawed and impossible. There may be some minimal effect as these fats should clearly be present because of their critical importance in the neurological and retinol development of infants. But as every other chemical in formula, the full intended effects are never realized.

Fortunately in Canada, the Food and Drugs Act prohibits health claims and the industry knows that we will be on their case when they abuse the regulation and they will be asked to withdraw whatever they try.  Currently we also have this same prohibition of no health claims for foods for infants and young children, in the Codex draft guidelines for nutrition and health claims for prepackaged foods. This standard is only at Step 3 (it has to go all the way to step 8 for full approval), but would carry weight in a trade dispute - i.e.  Mead Johnson cannot abuse Canada's regulations with its imports from the US. 

It is important that we protect this prohibition as the industry is working very hard to get rid of it.
Betty

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elisabeth Sterken, National Director
INFACT Canada/IBFAN North America
001-416-595-9819 tel
001-416-591-9355 fax
[log in to unmask]
www.infactcanada.ca

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