---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Elizabeth Brooks <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 6:59 AM
Subject:
To: Barbara Robertson <[log in to unmask]>, ‎‎[log in to unmask]‎‎ <
[log in to unmask]>


There have been some threads about FLRF in various Facebook groups;  I am
cut-and-pasting commentary I made there, about a year ago (Nov 2017), when
this topic was discussed:

The Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF) is [in 2017] four years
old.  It was established by Medela family members/Medela money.  While I am
quite sure that the non-profit foundation FLRF is -- today, on paper --
separate from the multi-million dollar commercial complex that is Medela,
there is no effective hiding (by them) that FLRF came from Medela money.

And while some folks take great comfort in this paper firewall ("They are a
non-profit!" "They aren't the company!") the fact that the extant
commercial interest and the extant foundation EACH use virtually identical
language and bios on their websites show just how illusory that
"separation" is. And while there is a lot of talk about supporting
breastfeeding in the FLRF press releases, I find language like this
revealing: “FLRF will use the funds to form a multidisciplinary and
collaborative research network through permanent endowments, to perpetually
fund research and knowledge transfer,” explained Dr. Katharina Lichtner,
Managing Director of FLRF, at the Summit. *****"FLRF’s goal is to ensure an
uninterrupted flow of knowledge that can be a key resource in empowering
decision-makers.******"

Hmm. Sounds like they want to be good ol' boy corporate/NGO "Partners" in a
big way.


http://www.larsson-rosenquist.org/en/about-us.html
<http://www.larsson-rosenquist.org/en/about-us.html?fbclid=IwAR0-ThVff7_uXh6L1hPpk00f9o9pu7ErFRk3t0Qz1AAFo8FuW7A7MTAqkGo>


(and)

http://www.medela-healthcare.us/company/about
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medela-healthcare.us%2Fcompany%2Fabout%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2eT8NV-F3wZTqMpyimecJvFnGmJc-CrH_oc6Q-V1gAi-bU3B4Nor22c7c&h=AT0N1h9jTc875vFWYqwlVsb7E70dBo4LZ4gVILQVuuf-fYByGFU0DJpTQWIATCmcnc64XwygZInlovFs_TWVj0ezL-cCei2quN08-Ct7MEKKNd7tDh-6Fg>



When someone asked if FLRF can be "trusted," I wrote (again, Nov 2017):

It is not so much a matter of TRUST as it is a matter of appreciating how
INFLUENCE works, and how INFLUENCE through research money, speaking gigs,
heady conferences with marquee names, invited blogs and book chapters by
popular educators, etc (all of which FLRF is doing ...) are ALL are
designed to engender loyalty to a brand, product, commercial interest.

Oh wait! Someone will say. "This is a non-profit! They aren't the company!"
BUT -- to my eyes -- they are SO closely associated with the medical device
manufacturer that one cannot ignore that connection in good conscience.
FLRF was established *4* [in 2018, now 5] YEARS AGO AND HAVE DUBBED
THEMSELVES THE WORLD CENTRAL GO-TO FOR ALL THINGS BFg AND HUMAN MILK USE
RELATED. About which pump use plays a HUGE role whether we like it or not.

Oh wait! Someone else will say. "Kellogg is the same deal! They are a
foundation, and come from Big Bucks from Cereal Manufacturers!" True dat.
But THAT foundation was created *87* [in 2018, 88] years ago. They are
using the money earned off the money earned off the money, and have been
for YEARS. AND they underwrite food equity efforts that do not rely upon
the use of breakfast cereal.

Bottom line: FLRF may meet the letter of the "law" on the separation of
commercial and public health interests to avoid conflicts-of-interest, but
they aren't meeting the spirit of the "law."

In anticipation of the many comments that may ensue attempting to explain
or justify the work FLRF and other Foundations have done (Nestle Nutrition,
fer cryin' out loud) or the work THEY are doing WITH FLRF or at Nestle
Nutrition conferences -- and there are some pretty big names in that book
that FLRF is about to release....), here is my cut-and-paste (again, Nov
2017) in response:

My all-time favorite BMJ (!) blog on this topic, is from an expert in the
fields of public health and ethics (and a lawyer to boot!) (link below).

Please, y'all. Disabuse yourselves of the notion that by setting up a
nicey-nicey "non-profit institute," or by getting funded to swoop into a
Marquee Names Conference "to share research with the uncoverted," that
these eminent researchers are not being PLAYED by the corporations to
ENHANCE and LEGITIMIZE the brands and logos sold by the corporate interests.

This is a playbook straight out of Cialdini's eminent text "Influence: The
Psychology of Persuasion." It is all about getting the
regular-ol'-you-and-mes of the world on board, because we see Marquee Names
are doing this, too.

http://blogs.bmj.com/.../08/24/daniel-s-goldberg-coi-bingo/
<http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2015/08/24/daniel-s-goldberg-coi-bingo/?fbclid=IwAR1H_GuKEaV_hUt_OLVpceQQJrJ9wZG5jL1SPPtfRQQUad2X574qHv8cwK8>


-- 
Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA
Wyndmoor, PA, USA
Director, Human Milk Banking Assn of North America (2015-19)
"IBCLCs empower women and save babies' lives!"-Ursuline Singleton


-- 
Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA
Wyndmoor, PA, USA
Director, Human Milk Banking Assn of North America (2015-19)
"IBCLCs empower women and save babies' lives!"-Ursuline Singleton

             ***********************************************

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