In addition to the current on-line article quoted, there was a good article in the November 2000 JHL (Becoming Baby-Friendly: Overcoming the Issue of Accepting Free Formula" by Anne Merewood and Barbara Philipp, pg 283 =>).  

The part I found interesting was that the formula company estimated that they donated $72 000 to    $100 000 free products a year and top management didn't think they could operate without that "gift".  The task team worked out that there were many unnecessary products listed on the formula agreement and that the hospital probably needed $20 000 worth of formula per year.  They have actually found out that they now use about $16 800 worth a year.

"Since all departments know the hospital is now paying for formula, its distribution is carefully monitored.  (snip) ....Because formula is less readily available, the temptation to unnecessarily hand out formula has been reduced, and auxiliary hospital staff no longer have easy access to formula."

Wasn't this realisation one of the aims of the Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes?  Well done to the BMC and all other Baby-Friendly hospitals.

Jacquie Nutt
South Africa
Fascinated by the insidious influence of marketing.

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