Also with permission:
August 29, 2002
J. Roberto Moran, MD,
Vice President and Medical Director
Mead Johnson Nutritionals
2400 W. Lloyd Expressway
Evansville, IN 47721-0001
Dear Dr. Moran:
I am writing to you as the Chair of the Executive Committee of the
Section on Breastfeeding of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
I recently saw a press release on the internet from Mead Johnson Nutritionals
about the distribution of a case of free Enfamil Lipil formula to all women
who give birth to infants on Labor Day. In the release the following quote
is attributed to you: "We fully believe that breastfeeding is ideal for
babies. When mothers have adequate amounts of DHA and ARA in their diet,
breast-fed babies receive the benefits of these nutrients. However, not all
mothers in the U.S. consume appropriate levels of DHA. Thus, a dietary
supplement of this nutrient is sometimes needed. … '
I am extremely concerned about both the marketing promotion in which all
mothers will receive a case of Enfamil Lipil even if they are breastfeeding
(about 65% will be breastfeeding after delivery). Giving any formula to a
breastfeeding mother to have available has been demonstrated to be harmful to
the successful establishment of breastfeeding. If you really believe that
"breastfeeding is ideal for babies" you will not provide these mothers with
any formula. If you provide them with formula, you will have revealed that
you really don't support breastfeeding despite your claim.
The second concern is the concept in your quote that some lactating mothers
have inadequate levels of DHA and ARA in their milk and that their ingestion
of supplemental DHA and ARA will improve the concentrations of these fatty
acids in their milk and benefit their breastfeeding infants. There is no
study that I know of that has ever demonstrated that supplementation of
lactating women with DHA and/or ARA benefits the development of
breastfeeding infants. If you have such scientific data, I would ask that
you provide me with the reference or a reprint of it. The implication in
your statement that some women produce breastmilk which is potentially
harmful to their infants is completely false and without any scientific
foundation. The promotion of such an idea is extremely detrimental to the
promotion of breastfeeding and to the ultimate health and development of
infants. Multiple sound, scientific studies have demonstrated that formula
fed infants have significantly greater numbers of infectious diseases and
suffer from much more frequent developmental and immunologic disabilities.
While we recognize the importance of having quality infant formula for those
babies who are not breastfed, the marketing and promotion of infant formula
at the expense of infant and child health and development is unconscionable.
I beg you not to distribute gifts of infant formula to all women who give
birth on Labor Day and not to distribute or market the fatty acid supplements
to lactating women.
I hope this letter reaches you in time to have you reconsider this marketing
strategy. I also look forward to your response.
Yours,
Lawrence M. Gartner, M.D.
Professor Emeritus
Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology
The University of Chicago
Chair, Executive Committee, Section on Breastfeeding
American Academy of Pediatrics
Nancy E. Wight MD, FAAP, IBCLC
Attending Neonatologist,
Children's Hospital and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women
Medical Director, Sharp HealthCare Lactation Service
San Diego, CA, USA
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