A number of people have asked on Lactnet and have contacted me regarding what
is happening with the Ad Campaign and who is doing what. The US Breastfeeding
Committee met with the assistant secretary of public affairs at HHS. A 90
minute conversation presented the breastfeeding community's view on the campaign
and the concern that was felt when formula companies were allowed to block the
messages that were prepared for the public. A summary of the meeting and
suggestions for future actions will be posted on the USBC's website shortly. The
USBC has been in frequent contact with the secretary's office and is working
very hard to see that the campaign goes forward. The USBC website has addresses
for where to write. Letters are still important as is keeping this issue in
the eyes of the media. Formula companies have as their goal to increase their
sales. Their PR/crisis management forms are working overtime to see that risk
based messages are not presented to the public.

In essence the companies wish to suppress, censor, and control the
breastfeeding messages until they meet with industry's approval. They wish to make sure
that the public is unaware of the risks of not breastfeeding. I believe
Secretary of Health Thompson was unavailable to meet with the USBC representatives
because he was in Africa with Bristol Myers Squibb (parent of Mead Johnson)
setting up and funding AIDS clinics for mothers and babies. Hmmm!

News releases to your local media outlets, letters to your members of
Congress, contact with all investigative reporters and shows may help keep this issue
alive.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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